So, What Is Kunafa Anyway?
At its heart, kunafa is a study in contrasts. It’s a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made with a base of shredded kataifi pastry or a fine semolina dough, which is baked with a layer of soft, unsalted cheese. Once it’s cooked to a perfect golden-brown
crisp, it’s drenched in a sweet, fragrant syrup (often infused with rose or orange blossom water) and typically finished with a sprinkle of crushed pistachios. The magic happens when it’s served warm. The first bite offers a crunch from the pastry, followed by the rich, gooey, and mildly savoury cheese, all tied together by the fragrant sweetness of the syrup. It’s a textural and flavourful masterpiece that hits multiple pleasure points at once.
A Sweet Journey to India
While kunafa has been available in select restaurants in India for years, especially in areas with a historical Middle Eastern influence like parts of Hyderabad or Mumbai, its recent explosion into the mainstream is a new phenomenon. The credit for this boom can largely be traced to a few key factors. Increased travel to Gulf countries like the UAE has exposed a new generation of Indian foodies to authentic Levantine cuisine. These travellers returned with a craving, creating a demand that local entrepreneurs were quick to fill. Speciality dessert bars and cafes, often helmed by chefs who have trained in the Middle East, began popping up in metros like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Chennai, bringing authentic techniques and ingredients to a curious audience.
The Instagram Effect: All About the Cheese Pull
You can’t discuss kunafa’s popularity without talking about social media. The dessert is, simply put, made for the camera. Its most iconic feature is the “cheese pull”—that dramatic, stretchy-gooey moment when a slice is lifted from the pan. This single visual has become a viral sensation on platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok. Food bloggers and customers alike are eager to capture and share their own cheese pull videos, creating a powerful, organic marketing cycle. In a digital world where food must often look as good as it tastes, kunafa is a photogenic superstar. The visual drama creates intrigue and a powerful desire to experience it firsthand, driving foot traffic directly to cafes that serve it.
A Palate-Perfect Match
Beyond its visual appeal, kunafa’s flavour profile is uniquely suited to the Indian palate. We have a deep-rooted love for desserts that blend sweet and savoury notes, and for complex textures. Think of sweets like jalebi (crispy and syrupy) or gulab jamun (soft and soaked). Kunafa offers a similar, yet distinct, experience. The combination of crispy pastry, melted mild cheese, and sweet syrup is both novel and comfortingly familiar. It doesn't have the intense, one-note sweetness of some traditional Indian mithai, making it appealing to a broader audience, including those who prefer their desserts to be less sugary.
The Great Indian Adaptation
As with any food trend that lands in India, kunafa is already being brilliantly adapted and remixed. While traditionalists stick to classic recipes using Nabulsi or Akkawi cheese, many Indian chefs are innovating. Given the difficulty in sourcing traditional cheeses, high-quality mozzarella has become a popular and effective substitute, delivering that all-important cheese pull. But the creativity doesn't stop there. We're now seeing kunafa variations loaded with Nutella, Lotus Biscoff spread, and even fruits. Some places are experimenting with savoury versions, while others are creating fusions like kunafa cheesecake or incorporating it into other desserts. This adaptability ensures the trend has longevity, evolving to suit local tastes and ingredient availability.
