• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

My Cooking Journey logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
×

Home » Desserts

Published: Oct 26, 2019 · Modified: Dec 16, 2020 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Bombay Karachi Halwa | Corn Flour Halwa

Jump to Recipe

Bombay Karachi Halwa is a chewy and glossy halwa made with corn starch. A simple halwa which is quick and easy to make and is a crowd pleaser.

Bombay Karachi Halwa arranged in a white plate

Halwa making can be very intimidating for many and I also was one of them. It took me quite a while to get over my fear and start making halwa. I have to thank my husband for motivating me to make this Bombay Karachi Halwa.

He loves this chewy corn flour halwa loaded with cashew nuts and that was when I first made this. After the success of this Bombay Halwa, I ventured into many different halwa recipes and had quite a success with them.

This Diwali, I have been updating few of my old posts with better pictures and this is one recipe that I made. I also took a video of the recipe for easy understanding. Make sure to scroll down and check out the video to make this delicious and chewy Karachi Halwa.

Sign up to my newsletter

Bombay Karachi Halwa

Stove Top or Microwave?

Initially when I first made this recipe, I used the microwave to make it entirely. It works for smaller quantities, but I feel the texture of the halwa is much more firmer and chewier when made on stove top.

It is a very quick recipe and it comes together fairly quickly. We just have to make sure that we are constantly stirring the halwa when making it to avoid sticking to the vessel.

Also the end texture is fairly easy to recognize in this halwa as you will see the Bombay halwa turning really glossy and shiny when ready. Again, do check the video to see the texture.

Corn Flour Vs Corn Starch

This is a big confusion when making this Bombay Karachi Halwa. We need to use the very smooth corn flour and it goes by different names in different parts of the world.

In India, it is called the corn flour, but make sure you buy the really fine variety. The coarse variety will not work for this Karachi Halwa recipe. In US, you have to shop for corn starch. Corn flour is the coarser kind and the corn starch is the smoother variety.

Do not reduce the quantity of the ghee in the recipe as that is what makes the halwa glossy. The lemon juice gives the halwa a slightly tangy flavor and also helps in giving a great texture to it.

You could ass any nuts of your choice. I stuck to using just cashews as that is what my husband wanted.

Corn flour Halwa

Preparation time – 10 minutes
Cooking time – 20 minutes
Difficulty level – easy

Ingredients to make Bombay Halwa – Makes about 20 pieces

  • Corn starch – ½ cup
  • Sugar – 1 ½ cups
  • Water – 2 ½ cups
  • Lemon juice - 1 tsp
  • Food coloring – a pinch )optional)
  • Cardamom powder – less than ½ tsp
  • Ghee – 5 tablespoon plus a little to grease the plate
  • Cashew nuts - 8-10 (broken into tiny pieces)
How to make Bombay Halwa

Procedure to make Corn Flour Halwa –

  • Grease a 8 inch pan with ghee and keep it aside.
Grease a tray for halwa
  • Chop the cashew nut into small pieces and keep aside. This recipe uses raw cashews but if you prefer roasted ones, go ahead and roast some and use in the halwa.
  • In a bowl, combine the corn starch, 1 ½ cups of water and food coloring and whisk it well to dissolve completely. Make sure that there are no lumps in the mixture. Using a whisk really helps in mixing it together to form a lump free batter.
  • In a pan, add the sugar and the remaining one cup of water and bring it to boil. Once the syrup boil vigorously, add the lemon juice and mix. Let the syrup boil for a minute more to thicken slightly. There is no specific consistency that we need to watch for. Just boil until it is slightly thick and syrupy.
  • Now slowly pour the prepared corn starch mixture and mix well. Make sure to keep mixing as it will start to thicken in the bottom right away.
Sugar syrup for corn flour halwa
  • Keep mixing and once the halwa thickens slightly, add a tablespoon of ghee and mix until the halwa absorbs it.
  • Now add the cashew nut and the cardamom powder and mix well.
  • At regular interval, keep adding the ghee and cooking the Karachi Halwa, until it all comes together as a lump.
  • You will notice that by the time we use all the ghee, the halwa has become vert glossy and it no longer takes in the ghee as readily as before.
  • This is stage we need to pour the halwa in the prepared pan.
  • Once you pour the halwa, smooth the top and let it set for at least an hour.
Adding ghee and stirring Karachi Halwa
  • Once the Bombay Karachi Halwa has set, invert it on to a tray and cut into desired size pieces.
Diwali special Bombay Karachi Halwa

Other Halwa Recipes

  • Badam Halwa
  • Jack fruit halwa / Chakka Varati
  • Apple Halwa
  • Potato Halwa
  • Wheat Flour Halwa
  • Asoka Halwa
  • Carrot Halwa

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

Holding Diwali special Bombay Karachi Halwa in hand

Bombay Karachi Halwa

A chewy and glossy halwa made with corn starch. A simple halwa which is quick and easy to make and is a crowd pleaser.
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes
Servings: 20 pieces
Calories: 107kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Corn starch
  • 1 ½ cups Sugar
  • 2 ½ cups Water
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon Food coloring –
  • ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
  • 5 tablespoon Ghee plus a little to grease the plate
  • 10 Cashew nuts broken into tiny pieces

Instructions

  • Chop the cashew nut into small pieces and keep aside. This recipe uses raw cashews but if you prefer roasted ones, go ahead and roast some and use in the halwa.
  • In a bowl, combine the corn starch, 1 ½ cups of water and food coloring and whisk it well to dissolve completely. Make sure that there are no lumps in the mixture. Using a whisk really helps in mixing it together to form a lump free batter.
  • In a pan, add the sugar and the remaining one cup of water and bring it to boil. Once the syrup boil vigorously, add the lemon juice and mix. Let the syrup boil for a minute more to thicken slightly. There is no specific consistency that we need to watch for. Just boil until it is slightly thick and syrupy.
  • Now slowly pour the prepared corn starch mixture and mix well. Make sure to keep mixing as it will start to thicken in the bottom right away.
  • Keep mixing and once the halwa thickens slightly, add a tablespoon of ghee and mix until the halwa absorbs it.
  • Now add the cashew nut and the cardamom powder and mix well.
  • At regular interval, keep adding the ghee and cooking the Karachi Halwa, until it all comes together as a lump.
  • You will notice that by the time we use all the ghee, the halwa has become vert glossy and it no longer takes in the ghee as readily as before.
  • This is stage we need to pour the halwa in the prepared pan.
  • Once you pour the halwa, smooth the top and let it set for at least an hour.
  • Once the Bombay Karachi Halwa has set, invert it on to a tray and cut into desired size pieces.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 5mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
« Okra Curry | Vendakkai Fry Recipe
Middle Eastern Lentil Soup | Vegan And Gluten Free »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ramesh Sachdeva says

    January 27, 2022 at 4:50 am

    What temperature it should be cooked. Medium or high?

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      January 27, 2022 at 4:29 pm

      I would stir them in medium heat.

      Reply
  2. Padma says

    November 02, 2021 at 10:20 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Sandhya,

    Thanks for the detailed recipe and perfect measurements. It came out really well. Is there anything I can do to make it more chewy ? Or will it be chewy after a while? Just made an hour ago.

    Padma

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      November 10, 2021 at 12:21 am

      Padma, you can cook it a little longer next time for more chewy, but it does not have the really chewy texture like the store bought one.

      Reply
  3. Chitra Dinesh says

    July 20, 2020 at 6:23 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this halwa. Came out well. Perfect measurements !!!

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      July 21, 2020 at 11:08 am

      Thanks a lot Chitra for trying the recipe. I am so happy it worked well 🙂

      Reply
  4. Rajani says

    November 09, 2019 at 3:18 pm

    The halwa looks so glossy and delicious. It’s been in my to do list for long, your post is reminding me to try it. The video is quite good too!

    Reply
  5. Harini Rupanagudi says

    November 05, 2019 at 12:39 pm

    Superb looking halwa. The amount of sugar in this halwa is the deterrent for me. But I would love to pop in a couple for sure. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Usha says

    November 05, 2019 at 7:58 am

    5 stars
    Halwa has come out perfect, with a nice glossy finish. Beautiful color and great one to have on the festival menu.

    Reply
  7. Srivalli Jetti says

    November 05, 2019 at 2:35 am

    The halwa looks awesome and so nicely done Sandhya, would love to make this sometime..

    Reply
  8. Amara says

    November 04, 2019 at 4:41 am

    My daughters favourite halwa. I was wondering why my halwa texture is different when I made it in US vs now in India. Thanks for the tip on corn flour vs corn starch. I need to look for a finer corn flour.

    Reply
  9. Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says

    November 01, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    5 stars
    This halwa has become my recent favorite. I made this during Diwali and we all enjoyed. I added rose syrup for the flavor thought. Love the video and detailed pictures.

    Reply
  10. Swathi says

    November 01, 2019 at 12:08 am

    5 stars
    Halwa looks delicious. It has been a while I made halwa I need to give it a try.

    Reply
  11. Suma Gandlur says

    October 31, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    Very perfect looking halwa with that beautiful glossy texture. This is one of my favorite halwas too but have been postponing to try this like forever. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Byron Thomas says

    October 31, 2019 at 6:05 am

    I've never tried halwa, but I think I would like it quite a bit. I love just about anything that has been flavoured with cardamom and cashews are my snack of choice!

    Reply
  13. Pavani says

    October 29, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    5 stars
    I never thought Karachi halwa can be made at home 🙂 I thought it was magically made by the halwai 😉
    That definitely is a delicious and easy enough recipe to try at home. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
  14. Danielle says

    October 29, 2019 at 6:05 am

    5 stars
    I have finally found this recipe! I remember enjoying this halwa when I was travelling and I thought it would be great to make something similar at home. So glad I've stumbled upon your recipe!

    Reply
  15. Yukti Arora says

    August 26, 2019 at 5:43 am

    Wow so classy and mouth watering halwa recipe i loved it and please keep posting such tempting halwa recipe because i am Learner of making new and different halwa.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Sandhya

I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

Learn More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Boulanee Katchalu | Afghani Bolani | Stuffed Flatbread
  • Xian Bing | Chinese Stuffed Pancake - Vegetarian
  • Spicy Roasted Makhana | Roasted Foxnut
  • Gur Papdi | Gol Papdi | Sukhdi
  • Saag Aloo | Vegan Spinach And Potato Curry
  • 4 Ingredients Fruit Salad With Mango Pulp
  • Ginger Chutney | Andhra Allam Pachadi
  • Kerala Style Peas Masala Curry

Street Foods

  • Spicy Schezwan Fried Rice
  • Bhutte Ka Kees | Indore Style Grated Corn Snack
  • Churumuri | Beach Style Masala Pori
  • Green Peas Kachori | Bengali Matar Kachori
  • Air Fryer Arancini | Italian Rice Balls
  • Gobi Manchurian | Cauliflower Manchurian
  • Masala Chaas | Spiced Buttermilk
  • Dry Garlic Chutney Powder Recipe

Sign Up to Newsletter

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 · MyCookingJourney LLC

Sign Up to Newsletter

We'll keep you in the loop with our latest news and new content that we add at MyCookingJourney.com.

Enjoy the journey with us and share it with your family and friends!