Channa Dal Halwa / Kadala Paruppu Halwa

This is really a very delicious halwa. I didnt expect that this halwa would turn out this much good. When i made this halwa and gave to my family members, they were asking whether this is almond halwa.... ha ha ha.. nobody believed it, it is made of the channa dal/kadalai paruppu. After i showed the step wise pictures only even my hubby believed... I am very happy and proud to join the group SNC started by Divya of You too can cook Indian Food and realise now, that I should have joined it before itself. Missed many delicious recipes... wahhh. Though I prepared this halwa in the first week of March itself, but now only, found time to post it. Now I am really waiting for the next exciting challenge.

Ingredients

• Channa dal / Kadalai paruppu – 1 cup
• Sugar – 2 cups
• Khoya – 1 cup
• Cardamon Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Saffron strands - a pinch (optional)
• Nuts like, cashews, almonds, pistas – few
• Raisins – few
• Ghee – 4 tsp

Method

• Wash and Soak channa dal for 2 hrs.
• Filter the water and drain completely.

• Grind the channa dal with cardamom powder in a food processor or mixer grinder and make a powder. ( little coarse should be ok).

• In a non stick wok, add the 4 tsp ghee first and add the powdered channa dal and star stirring.

• To this add the sugar and grated khoya.

• Keep on stirring, until it thickens.
• Add the saffron strands.

• Add the fried, cashews and raisins, and almonds.

• Grease a plate with ghee, and transfer the content and allow to cool.

• Delicious halwa is ready.

Linking this recipe to SNC Challenge hosted my Divya Pramil

Apple Halwa

Days are moving very fast and I am becoming busy day by day... As I told in my previous post, still not recovered fully from the fever n cough... coz of that, feeling very tired after coming from office... So could not prepare any new dish or post. Even this Apple halwa, I captured, couple of months before, and was in my folder along with some more pictures. So decided to post this. First time I prepared halwa with apple and to my surprise, it was really very tasty and yummy. This recipe, even can be done, by grinding the apple and using the pulp. Since I want some crunchiness, I grated and did it.

Ingredients

• Apple - 3
• Ghee - 4 tsp
• Sweetened Condensed milk - 5 to 6 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
• Almonds - 1/4 cup + 10
• Saffron - a pinch

Method

• Wash the apple and remove its skin.
• Grate the apple as below.

• In a flat bottomed pan, add the grated apple and saute till all the water content evaporates.

• Now add the condensed milk and mix well.
• Add the sugar and mix till the sugar gets dissolved.

• Add the ghee at this stage.
• Meanwhile grind the 1/2 cup almonds into a powder and crush the remaining 10 almond pieces to be used later.
• Mix it to this apple mixture.

• Check for the correct sweetness. (sugar or condensed milk can be added accordingly)
• Now mix the crushed almond pieces and saffron and mix well.
• When the ghee starts leaving the sides, switch off the stove and allow to cool and serve. 

Note: 

This apple halwa can be made by grinding the apple in mixer and using the pulp. I need to try some other time. Since I like the crunchiness of the apple, I grated and prepared the halwa. If any one have done with pulp, kindly share the outcome of it. 

Kaasi Halwa (White Pumpkin Halwa)

I wanted to try this for a long time and now only I had find time for it to try. First time trying and it really came very good. I took the recipe from kamala's corner, with very little changes. Original recipe goes with milk, sugar and pachchai karpooram, but i didnt use the pachchai karpooram and used condensed milk.

Ingredients
White Pumpkin - 1/2 kg
Sweetened condensed milk - 1 can
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts, raisins, pista - 1 tsp each
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Saffron - a pinch (optional)
Any colour - i used green to make it different.

Method
Peel off the skin of pumpkin and Grate it.
Filter/squeeze out the water as much as you can.
Now in a big pan, add 1 tsp ghee and fry the nuts and keep aside.
In the same pan, add the grated pumpkin and start cooking it with its own water.
When its water is fully dry, add condensed milk and keep on stirring in medium flame.
Little by little add ghee to it.
Add the green colour.
Keep stirring well until the ghee, start coming out from halwa.
Now add in the nuts and raisins, mix well and switch off the stove.
Serve hot or cold (i like both)

This goes to my event Dish Name Starts with K

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients

• Carrot - 2 – grated
• Milk - 1.5 cups
• Condensed Milk – 05.cup
• Sugar - as required
• Ghee - 1/4 cup
• Cardamom - 5 to 6 (crushed)
• Cashewnuts – 10
• Raisins - 10

Method

• In a pan, add the milk and allow to boil.
• Now add the grated carrot until it gets cooked.
• Now add the Condensed milk.
• Check for the sugar and add if you need more.
• When it becomes thick, add the cardamom and mix well.
• Meanwhile, in another pan, add the ghee and heat it.
• Fry the raisins and cashews in the ghee.
• Transfer the ghee content together with the fried nuts to the halwa and mix well.
• Garnish with some more cashews, raisins and serve hot.
  
  

This recipe goes to the following beautiful events
1. My Event: Dish Name Starts with C
2. ONLY' Festive Event by Preeti and Paari
3. Food Palette Series by Akheela
4. CFK - Festive Food by Suma and Sharmi

Beetroot Halwa

Beetroot Halwa is my favorite. I thought of preparing it for a long time, but now only had time to prepare. Here goes the recipe...

Ingredients

• Beetroot - 1(big) – grated
• Milk - 1.5 cups
• Condensed Milk – 05.cup
• Sugar - as required
• Ghee - 1/4 cup
• Cardamom - 5 to 6 (crushed)
• Cashewnuts – 10
• Raisins - 10

Method

• In a pan, add the milk and allow to boil.
• Now add the beet-root until it gets cooked.
• Now add the Condensed milk.
• Check for the sugar and add if you need more.
• When it becomes thick, add the cardamom and mix well.
• Meanwhile, in another pan, add the ghee and heat it.
• Fry the raisins and cashews in the ghee.
• Transfer the ghee content together with the fried nuts to the halwa and mix well.
• Garnish with some more cashews, raisins and serve hot.

This goes to the following wonderful events

1. My Event: Dish Name Starts with B

2. CFK - Festive foods by Suma and Sharmi

3. 'ONLY' - Festive food by Preeti and started by Pari

Strawberry Grape Halwa

Ingredients

• Strawberries - 10
• Dark Grapes - 15
• Condensed Milk - 1/2 cup
• Milk (Preboiled and cooled) - 1/2 Cup
• Sugar as needed
• Cashews - few
• Raisins - few

Method

• Wash the grapes and strawberries.
• Grind in the mixie to a smooth paste.
• In a kadai or pan, add ghee and when it is hot, add the paste.
• When the raw smell goes, add the milk and cook till the halwa thickens.
• Add the condensed milk and sugar.
• When the halwa becomes thick switch off the stove.
• In a small pan, add the ghee and fry the cashews and raisins.
• Mix it to the halwa and serve hot or you can keep in fridge and serve cold.
• This Halwa will be having little tangy taste.

This goes to the event CID-2010