By Jasmine Kaur
Made with the pungent flavours of ginger, adrak is a very unusual component for desserts. However, these Rampuri cooks gave it sweet spin for the Nawab.
This adrak ka halwa was invented in the late 18th century in the royal court of Rampur and was an interesting way to include ginger in meals.
It is said that it was under Nawab Faziuallah Khan’s reign, who ruled the princely state of Rampur in 1774 that the pudding was born.
The hakim had suggested that the Nawab eat ginger in his regular diet. However, he would fret at the sight of it which forced royal cooks to think out of the box.
To serve him better, they masked the pungent flavours of adrak in the form of a thick and smooth porridge, doused with chopped cashews, almonds etc.
The use of milk and ghee with ginger turned the halwa into a smooth treat, with a slight crunch of nuts and royal touch of zaffran.