Naboewieja Davids- A Craft Learned by Feeling, Perfected by Time

Naboewieja has been making koesisters for over 30 years, but her journey didn’t begin with confidence. It began quietly, from the sidelines. First, she was allowed to watch. Then, to add the spices. And only much later, after careful supervision, did she graduate to the most important role of all: frying duty. In her family, koesisters weren’t rushed; they were earned.

The recipe she uses today was passed down from her grandmother, not through a written book, but through feeling. She was taught to understand the dough by touch: its stickiness, its readiness, and to judge the syrup by warmth felt through the hand. These were lessons learned through patience, trust, and time spent together in the kitchen.

What started as a family tradition slowly found its way into the community. Neighbours began knocking on her door on Sunday mornings, asking if she had any “extras” from the family batch. Seeing the joy a warm, spicy koesister could bring to someone’s morning inspired her to share more widely and eventually, to turn this tradition into a business.

Culturally, the koesister is the heartbeat of the Cape Malay community. Personally, it represents resilience, connection, and continuity. It is a craft that has survived generations, one that brings people from all walks of life to the same table, united by flavour and memory.

What sets her koesisters apart is balance. Where many are too heavy or overly sweet, hers are known for being feather-light. She believes in a slow-rise process, allowing the spices to bloom fully in the dough before it ever meets the oil. Ginger, cinnamon, and naartjie peel form the familiar base with love as the only true secret ingredient.

In her home, Sundays are for community. After Fajr, the house fills with the scent of aniseed and sugar. The kettle whistles. Family gathers. Everyone waits as the first batch is lifted from the coconut bowl, warm and glistening.

For those who haven’t tried her koesisters yet, she offers this gently: you’re missing a piece of Cape Town’s soul. This is not the crunchy, braided koeksister. This is a warm, spiced experience, the kind that feels like a hug for your taste buds.

Her earliest memories are of being sent down the street with a plastic Tupperware container, delivering koesisters to neighbours. Today, her daughters stand beside her in the kitchen, having mastered the art of the syrup and learned the patience the dough demands. Knowing the family scent of spices will live on in their kitchens brings her great peace.

To her, the perfect koesister is dark golden brown, slightly oblong, thoroughly drenched but never soggy, generously coated in fine coconut, and served warm enough to melt your worries away. And after 30 years, she still makes them exactly that way.