Indian Halva: A Step-by-Step Recipe for Making at Home, with Photos

Unusual Indian halva – a delicious Eastern tea treat that's low in calories compared to oilseed-based alternatives. You can quickly prepare this tasty and healthy treat at home using the classic step-by-step recipe provided on this page.

Indian Halva: A Step-by-Step Recipe for Homemade Recipes

Nutritional value per serving

53.4 kcal

Proteins: 2.1 g
Fats: 1.1 g
Carbohydrates: 9.1 g

*Nutritional value is calculated per 100g of ingredients

Total time: 30 min
Time in the kitchen: 30 min
Complexity:

A simple recipe.
Number of servings: 4

Most people, upon hearing the phrase "Oriental halva," imagine a recipe for an Eastern sweet made from sunflower, sesame, or peanut seeds. This very dish was invented by Iranian chefs many centuries ago.

The word “halva” itself is translated from Arabic as “sweetness”.

Over the centuries, several varieties of sweet desserts called "halva" have appeared in the cuisines of various Eastern countries, but they differ significantly in taste, composition, and even preparation methods:

Turkish butter halva

It can be tahini, peanut, nut, or sunflower. It's made from oilseeds or nuts such as almonds, cashews, and pistachios.

Indian halva "Gajar ka"

It's made with fried semolina, carrots, and milk (you can also use cream or sour cream). The recipe is popular in India, Pakistan, and some other Eastern countries.

Persian halva "Pishmak"

Halva "Pishmak" is thin threads of sugar fried with flour.

In Turkey, they also prepare a sweet similar in composition and recipe called "Pishmaniye".

Flour halva

It is a traditional dish of Uzbek, Dagestani, Azerbaijani, Bulgarian, Turkmen, and Indian cuisine. It can be prepared with rice, corn, or wheat flour.

Other views

Halva is also prepared from Indian mung beans and calabash.

Indian halva, the recipe for which we offer you today, is a sweet that is traditionally served in India to important guests visiting the home, as well as on the table for various holidays.

Interesting fact! Fans of Indian films may have seen this dish featured in their favorite movies.

Indian halva doesn't look like Shrovetide briquettes, and it's not immediately clear what this dish is made of, resembling more of a fluffy pudding. This oriental dessert is cloyingly sweet, so it's traditionally eaten with fresh baked goods and aromatic coffee or tea.

Although Indian halva differs from Turkish halva, it can be prepared at home very quickly and easily, as the recipe contains ingredients that are easily found in any kitchen.

How to make Indian carrot halva at home

Indian Halva – A Step-by-Step Recipe with Photos

Ingredients

Servings

Carrot

400 G
Milk

400 ml
Sugar

100 G
Butter

40 G
Nuts

20 G
Raisin

20 G
Cardamom

to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Our oriental halva will be made with cashew nuts, but you can make the dessert using any other nuts to your taste.

Peel the nuts and chop them with a knife (if you want to get large pieces with a distinct flavor) or in a blender (if you need a finer fraction).

Step 2

Heat a frying pan and 20 grams of butter.

In India, halva is made with ghee, but finding this ingredient in Moscow is quite difficult, so we'll replace it with a more familiar butter.

Step 3

When the butter has melted, add chopped nuts and some raisins to the pan (it’s better to soak the raisins first).

Step 4

Fry the mixture over low heat until the nuts acquire a beautiful golden hue.

Step 5

Transfer the prepared mixture into a separate container, emptying the frying pan.

Step 6

Add some butter (or ghee) and coarsely grated carrots to the pan again.

In India, this simple and quick step-by-step halva recipe calls for the use of special burgundy carrots, but the more familiar orange variety makes an equally delicious version of this traditional Eastern delicacy.

Step 7