Rajjar methai: a unique sweet delight

Made with traditional ingredients, the popular sweet is now exported to Middle Eastern and Western countries

PESHAWAR:

The traditional Rajjar Methai, a popular sweet in Charsadda district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), is made of traditional jaggery, wheat, and yoghurt, instead of sugar. Despite the proliferation of all kinds of sweetmeats in recent years, Rajjar Methai remains a hot favorite among people of all classes.

The sweet originated in Rajjar, a small village in Charsadda district, and was initially intended for the poor. However, due to its unique taste and affordability, it gained widespread popularity and is now used by all classes.

There are now dozens of shops in the main Rajjar Bazaar, attracting people with a sweet tooth from across the province, especially Peshawar, Mardan, Mohmand, Khyber, Swabi, and Nowshera districts. Located about one kilometer north of Charsadda proper, Rajjar Bazaar has emerged as a sweets market where a great rush of buyers can be seen round the clock.

Rajjar Methai is produced in substantial quantities in Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera, and Mardan districts, especially during Eid when it is bought in large quantities.

Muhammad Yaqoob, an owner of a sweet shop, stated that his grandfather Israruddin alias Chacha Halwai started this hard-earned business in 1930, and he was proud to continue his legacy as he belonged to the third generation. He emphasized that the recipe had changed over the years, but the delicious and unique taste differentiate it from the rest of the confectionaries in local markets as it was completely chemical-free and affordable.

Locals send it as a gift to relatives, friends, and guests on various occasions, including Eid, weddings, and birthdays. It is the preferred choice of many poor and white-collared people as it is sold at Rs400-450 per kilogram in the local market.

Yaqoob added that about 50,000 to 60,000 people were directly or indirectly associated with this business. Orders are received from different parts of K-P, Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Punjab during Eid. It is also exported to Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, and several Middle Eastern countries, besides being sent to the US, UK, and other Western states as a gift for friends and relatives.

Zeeshan Khan, an official of the K-P Forest Department, emphasized that Rajjar Methai was an essential part of his shopping, and his Eid seemed incomplete without it. However, Yaqoob also stated that the Covid-19 pandemic, floods, and inflation had affected the business, and shopkeepers had suffered substantial economic losses. Therefore, he urged the provincial government to announce a relief package for the affected shopkeepers.

Umar Khan, a resident of Pabbi, also observed that Pakistan could earn valuable foreign exchange by exporting the traditional confectionery to international markets. Therefore, focus should be made on its marketing by involving foreign missions to explore new avenues for this popular product.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2023.