Habshi Halwa

In the Indian subcontinent, it is said that there is a certain element of romance to the sweet finish of a meal. No wonder, celebrations in this part of the world are never complete without a thorough serving of desserts. The Halwa is one of the signature sweet dishes in most global cuisines and has time and again been reimagined with the most unique ingredients and flavour profiles. One such variant equally popular in India and neighbouring Pakistan is the Habshi Halwa.

There is a certain degree of contention regarding the actual place of origin of this opulent dessert. Some believe that the dish originated in erstwhile Punjab, while some call it a brainchild of the Hyderabadi Nawabs of the 17th century. Nonetheless, it is a culinary milestone worshipped by food connoisseurs of North India and Pakistan alike and varies in its composition from the traditional recipe of the solid-sweet confections found throughout Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and east-central Europe.

The consensus seems to be that the Habshi Halwa was of Mughal conception and a royal sweetmeat obsessed over by the emperors of the bygone era. In fact, the iconic eateries of Rawalpindi and Old Delhi who carry on the tradition of this magnificent dessert employ Karigars (confectioners), many of whom claim to bear a long-lost lineage to the Mughal Khansamas (royal chefs) who created nothing short of art in the imperial palaces' kitchens.

The Habshi Halwa is unique in that it uses Samnak (sprouted wheat) instead of the conventional semolina, along with milk, sugar, Khoya (milk solids), ghee (clarified butter), Kewra (pandanus) essence, saffron, cardamom and rose water, topped with a beautiful dressing of chopped nuts and pistachios. The most interesting anecdote about this age-old delicacy is its nomenclature. The word Habshi, indicative of the rich dark-brown hue of the sweet, comes from the Persian term Habashi, historically used to refer to the dark complexion of the Abyssinian or African people in Persian dialect.

The racist undertone of the dish’s naming might be a deterrent to the modern generation and so, the Habshi Halwa is also appropriately give the alias of the Shahi Halwa, true to the nature of its ingredients. This nutty, chewy dessert has been a traditional winter delicacy in the bitterly cold northern provinces of the Indian subcontinent, but owing to its popularity, is now consumed all year round.