Om Ali

Shahira Mehrez Hanem, a distinguished expert in Islamic art and architecture, has worked tirelessly to preserve and document Egypt’s folkloric heritage, especially traditional costumes and jewellery. In her home, Umm Ali evokes the memory of a bygone era. She credits this recipe to her late mother’s cook, Osta Bakr, who made this lavish dessert throughout her childhood.

From the 18th to the first half of the 19th century, Cairo’s affluent fam