Haniem Paleker- A Recipe Written in Memory

Haniem has been making koesisters for nearly 15 years, but the story truly began with loss. After her mom passed away, the kitchen became a place of comfort, the only place where she could still feel close to her. Making koesisters was never about starting a business. It was about keeping something sacred alive inside her home.

The recipe she uses today comes straight from her mother. Like most traditional recipes, it was never formally written down — it was learned through watching, helping, and standing close by. Haniem still keeps the recipe in her mom’s handwriting tucked safely in her recipe book, although she knows it off by heart now. Some things, once learned with love, never leave you.

At first, the koesisters were made only for her family. But about four years ago, the requests began to grow. Neighbours, friends, and familiar faces started asking if they could buy some on a Sunday morning. Slowly, quietly, she began selling from her home. Not with fanfare, but with care.

To her, koesisters are deeply personal. Every batch connects her back to her childhood and to her mom’s presence in the kitchen. Culturally, they hold equal weight. A cornerstone of Cape Malay heritage and a tradition that has always brought families together on Sunday mornings.

What makes her koesisters special is their consistency. They are made the traditional way, in small batches, with patience and intention. Over the years, she has perfected the balance — refining the recipe while staying true to its roots. Every bite tastes the same as the last, and that reliability is something Haniem holds with pride. Because when it comes to heritage food, consistency is everything.

There are no secret ingredients here — just fragrant spices, careful timing, patience, and a lot of love. The kind of love that only comes from memory and respect for the women who came before. In her home, Sunday Koesisters means family. They mean stories, laughter, and the quiet joy of knowing her mom’s tradition is still alive and thriving.

For those who haven’t tried her koesisters yet, she offers this gently: you’re not just buying something sweet — you’re tasting a piece of family history.

Haniem hopes that one day, when her two boys are grown, this tradition will continue in their families too. Because that’s how these stories survive — passed hand to hand, heart to heart.

To her, the perfect koesister is soft, fragrant with spice, generously coated with coconut, sweet on the outside, freshly made — and filled with meaning.

And every Sunday, she makes sure it is just that.