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Aate ka halwa

आटे का हलवा: wholewheat flour roasted deep brown in ghee, the Rajasthani seera for prasad and new mothers

Across Marwar, this simple halwa is the one cooked for temple prasad, for Satyanarayan katha and for women in the weeks after giving birth, when ghee and jaggery are thought to build strength. Wholewheat flour is roasted slowly in plenty of ghee until it turns a deep nutty brown, then cooked with hot water and sugar or jaggery until soft and glossy. The whole thing takes 30 minutes. The common mistake is rushing the roast on high heat, which leaves the flour raw-tasting inside and scorched outside. Chef's tip: roast on low heat until the colour is like milky tea and the ghee starts to separate and bubble around the flour.
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the halwa

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 2 cups water with 4 oz sugar or grated jaggery until dissolved and keep it hot on a back burner.

    4 min
  2. Step 2: Melt 3 ½ oz ghee in a heavy kadhai, add 4 oz wholewheat flour (atta) and roast on low heat, stirring constantly, for 15–18 minutes until deep golden-brown and nutty, with ghee bubbling around the edges.

    18 min
  3. Step 3: Standing back, pour in the hot syrup in a slow stream while stirring; it will hiss and splutter.

    1 min
  4. Step 4: Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until the water is absorbed, the halwa leaves the sides and ghee shines on the surface.

    4 min
  5. Step 5: Stir in ½ tsp ground cardamom, top with 2 tbsp almonds and serve hot.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
470 kcal
Protein
5 g
Carbs
52 g
Fat
27 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does aate ka halwa take?
About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of ghee?
Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
What can I use instead of sugar or grated jaggery?
Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.

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