Kahk, or Ka'ak al-Eid, is a small circular biscuit that originated in Egypt and is eaten across the Arab world to celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Easter. It is covered with powdered sugar and can be stuffed with ‘agameya, lokum, walnuts, pistachios, or dates, or simply served plain. Date-filled kahk are believed to be the origin of ma'amoul, a similar Eid biscuit eaten in the Levant. This dish also popular in Indonesia and called as kue kaak as result of acculturation between Arabs and Indonesian. Usually served during Mawlid or Eid ul-Fitr.
Kahk is an important part of Egyptian and Sudanese culture. In addition to its role in Eid and Easter, when it is often served to guests, it is also eaten as part of a wedding feast and is occasionally served at other holiday feasts, namely Christmas and Mawlid. Baking kahk is a traditional and social activity in the region: women of a village or neighborhood, Christian and Muslim alike, gather together to bake kahk, chat, and swap stories and recipes. Sometimes, Egyptians will prepare their kahk at home before taking it to a communal or commercial bakery to be baked and cooled. Families typically exchange kahk as gifts, and friendly informal competitions over whose kahk is best are common. The designs stamped on kahk can be elaborate and are sources of pride for Egyptian families. Kahk molds, typically made from wood or ceramic, are often passed down from generation to generation. While bakeries have always sold premade kahk, buying kahk from a bakery has increased in popularity in urban Egypt in recent years. However, store-bought kahk is relatively expensive—reaching £E70 (US$12.69) per kilo in 2009—so many Egyptians, particularly those in rural areas, still bake their own.