What is Halwa?
Halwa is a sweet dense confectionery that is very popular in South East Asia, India and Middle East. There are many types of halva such as Greek Halwa, Semolina Halwa, Pumpkin Halwa. The combination of ingredients, textures and flavours are numerous .
What can Halwa be made of?
- Semolina
- Couscous
- Quinoa
- Corn flour
- Wheat Flour
- Vegetables
- Fruits
Can you make Vegan Halwa?
Yes you can veganise the halwa by cooking it in coconut oil, sunflower spread , vegetable margarine,or any vegan spread.
Can you make Gluten Free Halwa?
Yes you can by making the halwa with fruits or vegetables and also grain such as Quinoa and where you need to add milk you can use any plant based milk
Is it possible to make a sugar free Halwa?
Some Halwas you can add coconut sugar, Jaggery or dates to sweeten them.
What temperature do you serve the Halwa?
Some halwas that are set are normally served at oom temperature, others that are not set can be served hot or chilled.
I am making Bombay halwa in this recipe which is a set halwa made with corn flour. It is also known often as Karachi Halwa and it is a dense halwa with a jelly like texture which needs to be kept refrigerated to store. You can give this halwa any flavour such as rose, orange or pistachio. I have added saffron to this one as it imparts a lovely flavour and goes well with the almonds and pistachio.
Have you ever tried Halwa? What is your favorite Indian ? Do share in the comments below. I love all types Indian Confectionary, especially Semolina halwa and these Milk PedaYield: 36 small pieces
Bombay Halwa with Almonds and Pistachios
Bombay Halwa with an added touch of almonds and pistachios makes it a really delectable sweet that would be perfect to serve for any occasion.
Delicately flavoured with saffron and cardamom, it is a quick and easy sweet to make and enjoy.
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 5 HourTotal time: 5 H & 35 M
Ingredients
- 25g Almonds
- 1 cup hot water to soak almonds
- 150g Corn Flour
- 500 ml water
- 250g Sugar
- 250ml Water
- Pinch saffron
- 1/2 Tsp lemon juice
- 1.5 Tsps Cardamom Powder
- Few drops yellow food colouring
- 4 Tbsps Ghee (Clarified Butter) plus 1/2 Tbsp for greasing pan
- 2 Tbsps Coarsely chopped Pistachio Nuts
Instructions
- In a bowl add the almonds and cover with hot water and leave to one side to soak for 10 minutes.
- After 10 mins peel the almonds and remove the skin.
- Pat dry the almonds and halve them, leave to one side on kitchen paper to dry further.
- In another bowl sift the corn flour and add 500ml water and mix together to make a slurry. Keepit to one side.
- To make the sugar syrup add 250 ml water to apan, add 250g sugar, lemon juice and saffron and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until mixture starts to become slightly sticky.
- Reduce the heat to low and start adding the corn flour slurry in a thin trickle to the sugar syrup, stirring constantly while adding it.
- Add 2-3 drops of food colour and 1 tbsp ghee and keep stirring continuously. the mixture will start to thicken.
- Add another 1 tbsp ghee and keep stirring.
- The mixture will start to get shiny and thicken more, at this stage add 2 more tbsps ghee and still keep stirring.
- The halwa will now start to leave the sides of the pan, add half the flaked almonds, half the chopped pistachios and 1.5 tsp cardamom powder. Mix well and remove the pan from the heat.
- Grease atray will some ghee and spread the halwa in the tray, smooth it out using a spatula.
- Garnish with remaining almond flakes and chopped pistachios. Press the nuts down slightly into the halwa with the help of the spatula.
- Leave the halwa to set for 4-5 hours and then cut into small square pieces.
Notes:
You can add any colour of food colouring of choice.
Calories
61.64Fat (grams)
2.18Sat. Fat (grams)
0.96Carbs (grams)
10.49Fiber (grams)
0.46Net carbs
10.03Sugar (grams)
7.03Protein (grams)
0.55Sodium (milligrams)
7.05Cholesterol (grams)
3.64The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.
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Now this Bombay halwa you make it sound so easy. I had visions of me stirring for ages and ages. Love this recipe. Will try it when the weather gets better.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so nice, I have never attempted to make anything like this but would love to one day
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever had this before, but it sounds like a really interesting dish, when I first saw it it reminded me of baklava a bit x
ReplyDeleteI have not tried Bombay Halwa but it does look good. It is always nice to learn more about another culture through their food.
ReplyDeleteI'm used to the Mediterranean one. There are loads of options to choose from which are great. I've tried a few Indian ones too as I have Indian friends who make me sample all sorts.
ReplyDeleteBombay halwa has come out so perfectly. I am also looking forward to trying it out soon. For Sindhis this halwa is a must during engagements and weddings to distribute it to relatives.
ReplyDeleteI don’t have much of a sweet tooth but having spent time in the Middle East I do love halva. I have never tried to make it though. This looks like it’s not as scary to make as I thought!
ReplyDeleteI've actually never made halwa although it has been on my to do list for a long time. Love the flavors in this one. I think this will be my first halwa to try.
ReplyDelete