Aunty Shanaaz – Three Decades of Sweet Tradition

For more than 30 years, the name Aunty Shanaaz has been woven into the Sunday traditions of her community. Her koesisters are not just a treat — they are a ritual, eagerly awaited by neighbours and even by those who have moved far from the area but still place their weekly orders. To them, Aunty Shanaaz’s koesisters taste like home.

Her journey began unexpectedly. One day, as a young woman, she came home to find her mother drying off a batch of koesisters. Her mother handed her the responsibility of finishing them, and from that day, she learned the recipe from start to end. That recipe, secretive in its origins, has remained her foundation ever since. “I still don’t know where my mom got it from,” she smiles. “Back then, recipes were kept very secret. But today, I’ll gladly share it with anyone who asks. They say it never comes out the same — my husband says that’s because it’s all about the passion. You must have the passion.”

For Aunty Shanaaz, making koesisters is not just a skill — it is her livelihood. Together with her family, she has built a business sustained by syrup, spice, and dedication. What makes her special is her attentiveness to her customers. She knows exactly how each one likes their koesisters — from those who need a diabetic-friendly option to those who prefer theirs soft, syrupy, and extra soggy. Every detail matters, because to her, customers are more like family.

The kitchen has always been her space of creativity and comfort. At just nine years old, she cooked her first pot of food, and ever since then, she has loved experimenting with flavours. Baking was never her main passion — she only learned what her mother taught her — but she takes pride in her loaves, biscuits, and of course, her famous koesisters. Her husband, she says, is her best taste tester, always eager to try whatever new creation she
brings from the kitchen.

Today, the tradition is already being passed on to the next generation. Her granddaughter, simply by watching her grandmother at work, already knows the rhythm and care that goes into making a perfect koesister. In Aunty Shanaaz’s home, the tradition of koesisters is not just preserved — it is alive, evolving, and being handed down with love.

For her, koesisters are more than a business. They are memory, family, and legacy rolled into one. And for her customers, every bite carries the unmistakable taste of tradition — three decades strong and still made with passion.