2012 has come to an end and we are welcoming the New Year 2013. Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year 2013! Let me begin this New Year with a traditional South Indian sweet, Ashoka halwa or Asoka halwa. Asoka Halwa is a halwa variety, not very popular for some reason. It is one of the famous halwas served in the South Indian weddings.
There is generally so much to eat in the weddings that I have never paid a lot of attention to it until I ate this in my Father’s 60th Birthday celebration. I had an opportunity to see the chef making it in our house. So when I was trying to make a sweet that I have never made before, my mom gave me this recipe and I tried it. The recipe is very simple and easy to make with very few ingredients.
Halwa prepared during my father's 60th Birthday
Preparation time – 5 mins
Cooking time – 30 mins
Difficulty level – easy
Ingredients to make Asoka Halwa – Serves 4-6
- Payatham paruppu /Moong dal/Green gram dal – ¼th cup (1 part)
- Wheat flour/atta – ¼th cup (1 part)
- Sugar – ¾th cup (3 parts)
- Ghee/clarified butter – ¾th cup (3 parts) (* See notes)
- Orange food coloring – a pinch
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Cashews or almonds – for garnishing
*Note – the recipe calls for 3 parts of ghee, but I used only 2 parts which in this case is about ½ cup. The halwa tasted good and I had no issues with it. If your diet allows you to use more ghee go ahead and use the 3 parts. In this case more the merrier.
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Procedure –
- In a pan dry roast the moong dal until golden brown. To this add enough water and cook it until very soft and mushy. This could also be done in the cooker, but it cooks pretty quickly on the stove top. Using a masher, mash the cooked dal to a smooth consistency. If you prefer very smooth halwa, you could use a hand blender and give it quick grind.
- In a wide non stick pan, add ¼th cup of ghee and add the wheat flour in it. Fry the wheat flour in the ghee until it starts turning color and a nice aroma comes (about 8 mins).
- To the same pan, add the cooked dal, sugar and the remaining ghee and cook it over medium heat. Keep mixing the halwa until they all start to come together and begins to leave the sides of the pan. At this stage add the color and cardamom powder and mix it well. Remove it from flame.
Adding all the ingredients
The halwa liquifies a little after adding all the ingredients.
The halwa begins to leave the sides of the pan
- Garnish – heat about a teaspoon of ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews or almonds and add to the halwa.
- Serve the Asoka Halwa warm or at room temperature.
Once again wishing you all a Sweet and Happy New Year 2013! Eat well and be merry 🙂
Ingredients
- Payatham paruppu /Moong dal/Green gram dal – ¼th cup 1 part
- Wheat flour/atta – ¼th cup 1 part
- Sugar – ¾th cup 3 parts
- Ghee/clarified butter – ¾th cup 3 parts (* See notes)
- Orange food coloring – a pinch
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Cashews or almonds – for garnishing
Instructions
- In a pan dry roast the moong dal until golden brown. To this add enough water and cook it until very soft and mushy. This could also be done in the cooker, but it cooks pretty quickly on the stove top. Using a masher, mash the cooked dal to a smooth consistency. If you prefer very smooth halwa, you could use a hand blender and give it quick grind.
- In a wide non stick pan, add ¼th cup of ghee and add the wheat flour in it. Fry the wheat flour in the ghee until it starts turning color and a nice aroma comes (about 8 mins).
- To the same pan, add the cooked dal, sugar and the remaining ghee and cook it over medium heat. Keep mixing the halwa until they all start to come together and begins to leave the sides of the pan. At this stage add the color and cardamom powder and mix it well. Remove it from flame.
- Adding all the ingredients
- The halwa liquifies a little after adding all the ingredients.
- The halwa begins to leave the sides of the pan
- Garnish – heat about a teaspoon of ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews or almonds and add to the halwa.
- Serve the Asoka Halwa warm or at room temperature.
Notes
*Note – the recipe calls for 3 parts of ghee, but I used only 2 parts which in this case is about ½ cup. The halwa tasted good and I had no issues with it. If your diet allows you to use more ghee go ahead and use the 3 parts. In this case more the merrier.
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
Sangeetha Iyer says
Quick and easy recipe. And comes out just perfect and delicious!
Sofia Sana says
colorful tasty and yummy....
Fantastic! I am definitely bookmarking this to come back and read later
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Priya says
Hi- This has become one of the family favorites. Thanks for sharing
preeti garg says
Awesome recipe thanks for sharing this with my event...
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shasan18 says
Thanks preeti! My pleasure in being a part of your event..
Abby Raines says
That looks yummy! Love the photos showing how it's done. I can imagine how nice it is! Thanks for joining Manila Spoon! Your new follower. Abby
shasan18 says
Thank you so much Abby! You have such a gorgeous space...Happy to be a part of your event 🙂
Asiya Omar says
Halwa looks delicious..
shasan18 says
Thanks Asiya! Hope you had a wonderful New Year celebration 🙂
Shree Kanneppady says
Wow,awesome recipe, it looks so delicious..
Thankx for linking it into my blog event.
Shree
https://easycooknbake.blogspot.com/2012/12/event-announcement-hot-beverages-and.html
shasan18 says
Thanks Shree! Looking forward to linking more 🙂
Nivedhanams Sowmya says
so authentic and so delicious... very well written post!!!
Sowmya
Ongoing Event - SYF&HWS - Ginger
shasan18 says
Thanks Sowmya! Hope you had a good New year's day 🙂
shasan18 says
Thanks Sangeetha! That is exactly we are doing right now 🙂
Happy New Year to you and your family!
Sangeetha Nambi says
Yummy... Fingerlicking one...
https://recipe-excavator.blogspot.com
Happy New Year !!!
Neela Manogar says
Looks awesome.
Happy new year Sandhya.
shasan18 says
Thanks Neela! Happy New year to you and your family!
Swasthi Blank says
This is awesome Sandya! happy new year
shasan18 says
Thanks Swasthi! Happy New year to you and your family too!
JacquiL says
Thanks you. When I saw the ingredient Halwe, I thought it was the Arabic Halva (made from tehina). The recipe sounds delicious.
shasan18 says
Thanks Jacquil!
Amy says
so delicious....
Wish you and your family, a very Happy New Year!!
shasan18 says
Thanks Amy! Wishing you all a very Happy new year too!
Amy says
thanks & thanks for sending this to my event...
shasan18 says
My pleasure Amy!