If there’s any other sweet dish apart from ladoos and kheer that holds so much importance in Indian festivals and occasions, it has to be the Halwa. It is very interesting to note that Halwa is not even from India, it was brought to the subcontinent from Central Asia in the medieval era, and just like Jalebi and Samosa (other famous Central Asian imports), Halwa too became an indispensable part of our lives, so much so that whenever we have to rate a task as easy or doable, we call it ‘Halwa’. For the unversed, well, it is just one common Hindi phrase, we do not know the origins of, but we can assume that it may have something to do with the preparation of Halwa, which is traditionally considered “easy” and “hassle-free”. Halwa does not require you to ferment ingredients overnight, nor does it know 10 different kinds of masalas. Halwa can be prepared with five ingredients or less. And while yes, it can be a tad overwhelming for the newbies, but once you get a hang of it, there’s no looking back.
It is a popular tradition to add copious amounts of nuts and dry fruits to the halwa to spruce it up. But these nuts and dry fruits can very well be the hero ingredient of the halwa too. Take Almond or Badam Halwa for instance, it is rich, soft, velvety and exudes richness in every bite. It is incredibly easy to make at home too, provided you have all the ingredients and you keep these tips in mind.
- Take good quality almonds and soak them in water for good eight hours or overnight.
- Peel the almonds, all the almonds should be peeled, else it may ruin the experience.
- Grind these almonds in a blender, since they are well-soaked, they will obtain a pasty texture.
- Heat some ghee in kadhai, add the paste and cook.
- Only when the ghee starts separating add sugar.
- Stir continuously, let it cook on medium flame, as it may burn on very high flame.
- After a while add milk, stir again, when it is thick add your elaichi powder for flavour. Do not add too many flavouring agents in this halwa, the almonds are very flavourful on their own. Serve hot.
Try this recipe and surprise your family with the sinful deliciousness of the Halwa.