Recipe of the day: How to prepare 'akhrot ka halwa'
Halwa is one of the most popular Indian desserts usually prepared with flour or semolina, milk, ghee, and dry fruits and sweetened with sugar or jaggery. This dense sweet confection originated in Persia and slowly spread throughout the Middle East and South Asia. Akhrot ka halwa or walnut halwa is a variation of the luscious dessert relished post-dinner. Check out the recipe here.
Ingredients you would need
Walnut halwa is usually prepared during winters to give you respite from the bitter cold by warming up your body. It is also considered auspicious for festive occasions like Holi and Diwali. For this recipe, you will need two cups of coarsely powdered walnuts, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts along with milk and jaggery. Ghee and one teaspoon of cardamom powder are also required.
Roast the chopped walnuts until fragrant
To start with walnut halwa, roast chopped walnuts in a pan until they turn slightly brown in color and are fragrant. Then, turn off the heat and keep the walnuts aside. Add milk, saffron, cardamom, and jaggery to a saucepan and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for some time.
Roast walnut powder and add the milk mixture
Roast the walnut powder. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and roast the coarsely ground walnut powder on medium heat until you get that roasted aroma and the walnuts turn brownish. Add the milk mixture gradually to the walnut and keep stirring the halwa. Keep stirring continuously until all the milk gets absorbed. Then, add the chopped walnuts and stir well.
Serve it warm
After combining the chopped walnuts properly in the halwa, turn off the heat. The consistency should neither be too thick, nor too runny. Let it cool for some time as the halwa tends to thicken and get the right texture after cooling. Place it in a square dish and cut it into shapes. Garnish with some more walnuts and serve warm.
