Salaama Adams — From One Family’s Recipe to a Neighbourhood Tradition

For Salaama, Sunday mornings aren’t just another day; they’re a rhythm, a scent, a feeling that’s been seven years in the making. For the past five years, her household has woken to the sweet, spiced aroma of freshly fried koesisters. A ritual born out of love, necessity, and a touch of family legacy.

It began with a recipe that carried its own story. The recipe was passed down from her husband’s family, and with a few personal tweaks, Salaama made it her own. “I just made it my own,” she smiles. When COVID hit, the world slowed down, and so did many incomes. Neighbours in her area began asking, “Who’s still making good koesisters?” Salaama’s answer came sizzling from her kitchen. What started as a side hustle quickly grew into a beloved Sunday tradition. Even now, some of her loyal customers still arrive with bakkies, cloths ready to cover their warm batch just like the old days.

For Salaama, koesisters are about more than taste. They’re about togetherness. “In our community, Muslim and Christian Sunday koesisters with coffee or tea have always been a sign of neighbourliness and connection,” she says. Her secret? “Love and freshly ground ingredients,” she laughs. She even grinds her own dried naartjie peel into powder, giving each koesister that unmistakable citrusy warmth. Of course, she admits with a wink, there’s also a secret ingredient she won’t tell. At home, the tradition is sacred. On the rare weekend she doesn’t make them, her family complains. Even when life gets busy, Salaama finds joy in keeping the Sunday ritual alive. “The perfect koesister?” She says thoughtfully. “Spicy, with a light naartjie flavour. A bit dark, fine coconut, and lekker gesuiker, but not too much.”

With each batch, Salaama recreates a piece of her childhood; the laughter, the bakkies, the warm syrup, and the smell of cinnamon that fills the air. So come and try her koesisters and see if they measure up to the ones of yesteryear. Chances are, they’ll taste just like home.