Strawberry Halwa
Ingredients
■ Strawberry - 100 grams
■ Semolina - 100 grams (1/2 cup)
■ Sugar - 100 grams (1/2 cup)
■ Ghee - 100 grams (1/2 cup)
■ Cashews - 6 to 7
■ Almonds - 6 to 7
■ Raisins - 1 tsp
■ Pistachios - 10 to 12
■ Green cardamom - 4
Method
■ Wash strawberry thoroughly, remove stalk and cut them in small chunks. Now place the chunks in a mixture jar and grind to make puree. Place a pan over flame, add ghee (keep some for later use).
■ When ghee melts, add semolina and roast on low-medium flame until it gets golden brown in color. Keep stirring the semolina constantly with help of ladle. After sauteing semolina, add 2 cup water, sugar and strawberry puree in the pan and cook halwa on low-medium flame until semolina get puffy in water.
■ Cut cashews in small pieces. Cut almonds and pistachios in thin slices.
■ After semolina gets puffy, keep stirring the halwa at regular intervals until it gets dense. Now add raisins, cashews, almonds and pistachios. Also add cardamom powder and 1 tsp ghee. Mix everything really well. Strawberry halwa is ready, turn off the flame and take out halwa in a bowl. Pour 1 to 2 tsp ghee over the halwa and garnish with almonds and pistachios.
Beetroot Halwa
Ingredients
■ Beetroot - 2, medium sized, grate to make 2 cups
■ Milk - 1 cup
■ Sugar - 1/2 cup
■ Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
■ Ghee - 2 tbsps
■ Cashew nuts - 5-6
■ Raisins - 9-10 (kishmish)
Method
■ Heat a heavy bottomed vessel and add the ghee. Once the ghee is hot, add the cashew nuts and raisins and saute till the nuts turn golden brown. Remove the nuts and raisins and set aside.
■ To the ghee, add the grated beetroots and saute on low to medium flame for 8 to 9 mts or till the rawness reduces. Do not skip this step.
■ Add the milk and cook the beetroot on low medium flame. Stir once in a while so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Allow the milk to be absorbed.
■ Add the sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. The mixture will be become liquid-y again. Continue to simmer on low medium flame and keep stirring as the sugar melts and the beetroot mixture begins to thicken and glisten (shine). The mixture will leave the sides of the pan. This could take approx 15-18 mts. Turn off flame. Add roasted cashew nuts and raisins and mix well.
Bread Halwa
Ingredients
■ Bread slices - 10
■ Milk - 600 gms. (3 cup)
■ Ghee - 3-4 table spoon.
■ Sugar - 80-100 gms. (1/2 cup)
■ Cashews - 10-12 (chopped)
■ Almonds - 4-5 (chopped)
■ Cardamom - 3-4 (peel and grind)
Method
■ You can use any quality of bred to make Halwa. Take maida or wheat bread any of the quality that you like. You can also use multigrain bread. Every quality has its own unique taste.
■ Break the bread into small pieces. Take a pan and heat 1 table spoon ghee into it. Put the bread pieces into the ghee and roast it on medium flame. Once the bread gets roasted, put milk and sugar to it. Stir the halwa continuously and press the bread pieces with the ladle to break them into tiny pieces. Pour 1 table spoon ghee into the pan and cook the halwa. Save some cashews and put the rest into the pan along with almonds and cardamom. Mix the ingredients well with the halwa.
■ Bread Halwa is readyl. Take it out in a serving dish and garnish with cashews and ghee. Serve it hot to your family members.
lmond Halwa
Ingredients
■ Almonds (Badam) - 200 gms. (1 cup)
■ Milk - 1 cup.
■ Sugar - 200 gms. (1 cup)
■ Ghee - 100 gms. ( 1/2 cup)
■ Kesar (Saffron) - 25-30
■ Cardamom - 6-7 (peel and beat it)
Method
■ Soak the almonds in drinking water for 5-6 hours. If you have less time in hand and want to prepare it quickly, then you can soak them in hot water for 2-3 hours. The almonds will rise in 2-3 hours when soaked in warm water.
■ Peel the soaked almonds and grind it in a mixer with an appropriate quantity of milk to make a paste. (do not grind it too much)
■ Non-stick pan is more suitable to make Almonds (Badam) Halwa. Take a non-stick pan and heat 1 table spoon ghee in it. Put the almond paste into it, along with sugar. Stir the mixture continuously and roast the mixture.
■ Take 1 cup milk and mix kesar into it. Now pour this kesar-milk mixture into the pan and mix it well with the Halwa. Add 1 table spoon ghee also and if you want to add colour to the Halwa, add it right now. Stir the mixture and cook till it gets thick in consistency. You will see the halwa sticking in the pan from the corners and leaving fragrance. Pour the remaining ghee to the Halwa and mix well. Badam Halwa is ready. ■ Put some cardamom to it and take out in a serving dish. Serve hot or cold, it will taste good in all respect.