How to make Gulkand

Savia Shah of Third Edit: ‘Gulkand is an edible rose petal preserve found across the Indo-Persia region.‘Gul’ means flower in Urdu and Persian and ‘kand’ means sweet in Arabic. Unlike jams or confitures, gulkand is preserved in a clay vessel and sun cooked for months. It is a delicacy given its seasonal quality and lengthy preserving process. The Damask rose blooms twice a year and is traditionally used due to its strong perfume. Ghulkand’s aged, sweet flavor and velvety texture is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before.

The first time I came across gulkand was whilst visiting my grandfather’s home in Pakistan. He kept an old jar wrapped in muslin in his wardrobe. In the subcontinent, it’s common to keep precious food safeguarded in one’s closet. Distanced from the chaos of the household, the jar of gulkand in nana’s wardrobe signaled to me that this was precisely his shauk, his pleasure. Nana reluctantly shared this treat with us, mumbling about the jar’s precious origins and complaining about how we always wanted more. Occasionally, he would dispense a tiny amount on an old spoon with his shaky hand. The overwhelming sweet flavor made our day.

In the patriarchal society that Pakistan is, he was always contradictory. He loved his roses, whether in the form of gulkand or his garden. He was sweet, funny and sharp. The intensely rich and feminine flavors of gulkand forever remind me of him.

Preserving and creatively archiving memories that ground me in my heritage has become even more important to me this month. Our identities, histories and material culture can be erased by force, violence and politics. And yet the most cherished moments and stories survive subtly. My little sis and I made this video reminiscing about our grandfather and the sweet and mysterious gulkand that he cherished so much. We leave this world physically, yet we leave so much intangible matter behind.’