Besan Halwa Recipe
Besan Halwa is a sweet, pudding-like dessert that is made by slow-cooking besan, ghee, sugar, and water, until it thickens and becomes a dense, creamy consistency. The dish is traditionally flavored with cardamom and nutmeg, and is garnished with slivered almonds, pistachios, or other nuts. It is a rich and indulgent dessert that is perfect for special occasions or for satisfying a sweet tooth.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Besan / Gram flour
- ¼ cup ghee / clarified butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- dry fruits
Instructions
Preparation
- Assemble all ingredients together to avoid last minute rush.
- Roughly chop dry fruits of your choice.
Cooking
- Heat milk in a thick bottomed Pan till it comes to a boil.
- Simultaneously, on another side of stove, heat ghee in a Kadai over medium flame. Once the ghee melts, then lower the heat.
- Add besan and mix very well with the ghee. Keep on stirring continuously for 15-18 minutes, so that the besan is evenly roasted.
- On the other hand, if milk gets boiled, switch off the flame and cover the Pan.
- In Kadai, soon the gram four / besan will start releasing ghee.
- Now, pour half of the milk from the Pan and stirring continuously so that no lumps will be formed.
- Then pour the remaining quantity of milk. Continue to mix and stir the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add ⅓ cup of sugar. The amount of sugar can be adjusted as per your taste preferences.
- Keep continuously stirring for 5 to 6 mins on a low flame, so that no lumps are formed and mixture gets evenly mixed.
- Soon the mixture will start thickening, stirring continuously.
- Now, add cardamom powder and half quantity of chopped dry fruits. Continue to stir and mix well.
- You will see some ghee separating from the halwa at the sides. The halwa will also start leaving the edges of the pan and will appear smooth and glossy.
- Switch off the heat. Besan Halwa will thicken as it cools down.
- Garnish remaining chopped dry fruits on top of the Halwa and serve hot or warm.
- If you want, you can also garnish Besan Halwa with saffron strands.
Equipment Used for This Recipe
Notes & Tips
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftovers. While serving, warm the Halwa in a Pan or Microwave it for 2-3 minutes so that the ghee melts as on refrigeration it solidifies. It keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Dry fruits: Feel free to choose any unsalted dry fruits of your choice.
- Roasting: This is a key step, so roast besan on low flame and do not hurry up this step. For a good smooth Halwa, even roasting is very important.
- Sweetness: You can add sugar as per your taste preferences. Or you can optionally choose brown sugar or jaggery as well.
- Milk or Water? You could add water also in place of milk but for a creamy rich texture, I recommend to use milk.
- Ingredients & Equipment: Find these Ingredients & Equipment at specialty food stores or online stores. For review of some stores, please refer to the Grocery Review Section on our Website.
Nutrition Information (Note: Approximate)
Nutrition Facts
Besan Halwa Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
267
% Daily Value*
Fat
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Cholesterol
32
mg
11
%
Sodium
44
mg
2
%
Potassium
314
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
31
g
10
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
19
g
21
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
128
IU
3
%
Vitamin B1
0.2
mg
13
%
Vitamin B2
0.1
mg
6
%
Vitamin B3
0.5
mg
3
%
Vitamin B5
0.4
mg
4
%
Vitamin B6
0.2
mg
10
%
Vitamin B12
0.4
µg
7
%
Vitamin C
0.02
mg
0
%
Vitamin D
1
µg
7
%
Vitamin E
0.2
mg
1
%
Vitamin K
2
µg
2
%
Calcium
101
mg
10
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
Magnesium
49
mg
12
%
Zinc
1
mg
7
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.