By Sushmita Sengupta
Think ‘Halwa’ is a very ‘North Indian’ concept? Think again. The dessert actually has Persian roots, and also has many, many varieties in South India.
Also known as ‘Irutu Kadai’ which means ‘dimly lit’. It was sold in a shop in Tirunelveli, much before the advent of electricity. The shop was always dark, hence the name. The dark halwa is made with wheat, palm jaggery and ghee.
‘Muscoth’ in Sinhalese means ‘coconut milk’. It was inspired by a dessert Jospeh Abraham had in Sri Lanka, he came back to Tamil Nadu and mixed wheat in the recipe and gave us the Muscoth Halwa.
In this South Indian delight, Suji ka halwa gets a rich makeover with a hint of saffron. Since a lot of ghee is involved, it also acquires a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Made of moong dal, wheat, cashews, raisins and ghee. This Halwa from Thanjavur is renowned for its texture and golden colour.
Not a fan of vermicelli kheer, no problem. Use those thin noodles to make a delicious halwa with a hint of sugar and saffron, just like they do it in the South.