“I’m part of the Hussaini family, which has been making authentic sweets for generations. It’s something we take a lot of pride in. The story of The Imperial Sweet House started in 1964, in Aziz Bagh, Sultanpura, near Noorkhan Bazaar, Hyderabad. My grandmother, Nafees Hussaini, learned the craft from her mother-in-law, the late Syeda Aijaz Fatima. Along with her daughter-in-law, Nasreen Hussaini, she started the business from home. It all began with making Badam ki Jaali—a sweet made from almonds, cashews, and sugar. We soak almonds in hot water, dry them, then grind the almonds and cashews into flour. After mixing with sugar and baking, you get a delicacy that was once enjoyed by royals, and it’s been passed down through generations in our family.

I remember my grandmother and mother talking about how they would spend hours making sweets, sometimes working through the night, shaping hundreds by hand using special molds. Back then, there were no ovens or mixers—just simple tools and a lot of dedication to keeping the tradition alive. The women in our family always led the sweet-making, while the men took care of marketing and sales. My grandfather, S.M. Hussaini, would cycle around town, delivering the sweets all over Hyderabad.

Now, Ms. Aisha Jahan carries this tradition forward. We are also available on social media, and it certainly helps us to reach people even in other countries. We still make Badam ki Jaali with the same love and care, keeping the intricate designs just like we always have.

Besides Badam ki Jaali, we also make sweets like Ashrafi (a saffron coin-shaped treat), Gulab Sweet (rose-shaped), Gajar ka Halwa, Puran Poli, Badam ki Laus, and more. Each is made with the same attention to detail, mixing old techniques with a modern touch.

From weddings to festivals to special occasions, our sweets have been enjoyed by people from all walks of life, passed on from one generation to the next.”

• Farhan Khan, The Imperial Sweet House