One can grate, ghiso, grind a whole range of vegetables, fruit or nutty ingredients and magically, with a lil' food alchemy, transform them into a lip-smackingly good halwa. The amount of sugar or type of sweetener that goes into a halwa is in your hands. So is the amount of ghee.
Reshma Aslam's fruity halwa uses khoya or milk solids and unsually also crumbled mawa cakes.
Please find the recipe here: Pineapple Halwa
An unlikely ingredient but lovely just the same. It's sauteed gently with milk, sugar and dry fruits.
Please find the recipe here: Green Pea Halwa
As Indians, very often when one mentions pulses/lentils or dal, we think of khichdi, mung dal or toor dal to go with hot steamed rice. Or maybe dal pakodas. But the humble lentil works everywhere and definitely in halwa. Pratibha Karan's take on the halwa comes out beautifully but requires a lot of patience and sweat to nail the texture.
Please find the recipe here: Mung Dal Halwa
Nothing screams comfort quite like a bowl of warm, homemade carrot halwa. A rich and creamy dessert, it is slow-cooked, letting the natural sweetness of carrots blend beautifully with full-cream milk, sugar, and aromatic cardamom. Try this recipe courtesy the chefs at Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai.
Please find the recipe here: Gajar Halwa
Again an intriguing addition. Badam or almond halwas are famous throughout the length and breadth of India. But incorporating apples makes this offering unique. Sangita Agrawal includes khoya (milk solids) and milk powder too.
Please find the recipe here: Seb Badam Halwa
Zelda Pande shares her Ammaji's classic recipe for halwa made from wheat. It was standard teatime fare in her home, back in the day when guests actually came over for chai. In her mom and grandmother's kitchen, aata was preferred to semolina or suji because the taste of roasted wheat flour is much more distinct and fragrant.
Please find the recipe here: Gehun Ka Aaata Ka Halwa
When time is short look to your microwave. S Saraswathi prefers rustling up this Indian fave in the microwave, in just minutes, without the time consuming frequent stirring and so on. The end product is just as glorious.
Please find the recipe here: Microwave Gajar Ka Halwa
Made with just five ingredients, drenched in ghee, the semolina and maida halwa by Taruna Deepak makes for a divine meal ender.
Please find the recipe here: Mukhadi Halwa
Lajjaya Singh's Himachal-style sweetmeat conjured up from potatoes, follows and easy, straightforward recipe, requiring a few spices and nuts and tastes memorable.
Please find the recipe here: Alu Halwa
Milk, ghee, crunchy nuts, and fresh coconut are slowly sekoed in Siddhi Panchal's preparation for a nariyal halwa that is finally an offering of pure decadence.
Please find the recipe here: Nutty Coconut Halwa
An organically produced jaggery is a splendid idea for a halwa as dessert after any meal because it can be made in the microwave in 8 minutes. The recipe also calls for semolina, chopped nuts and rose water.
Please find the recipe here: Jaggery Halwa
Doodhi or bottle gourd is a logical and coventional candidate for halwas. But who knew the addition of walnuts could soup it up that much. Kumar Nachiket adds keora or kewra water (made from the screwpine) and green cardamom too.
Please find the recipe here: Lauki Walnut Halwa
Serve up your delicately-prepared almond halwa in rich custard. Chef Sohail Karimi's exotic combo is worth replicating for a special dinner or festival. He garnishes the whole affair with rose petals and pista slivers.
Please find the recipe here: Badam Halwa With Custard
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