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Bread halwa
Fried bread halwa
Bread halwa: Tamil Muslim wedding and Eid halwa of fried bread, milk and ghee
IndianAt Tamil Muslim weddings and Eid feasts in Chennai and Madurai, the biryani is followed by a spoonful of bread halwa, sticky, golden and glistening with ghee. Cubes of white bread are fried until crisp, then cooked down with milk, sugar and cardamom until they melt into a soft, jammy halwa studded with cashews. Chef's tip: day-old bread fries crisper and soaks up the milk more evenly than fresh.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 8 slices white sandwich breadabout 280 g, crusts removed, cubed
- 6 tbsp ghee
- 20 cashews
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 2 cups whole milk
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pinch saffron threads (optional)optional, for colour
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Method
0/5 doneStep 2: Add the rest of the 4 ¾ tbsp ghee and fry the 8 slices white sandwich bread cubes over a medium heat, turning, for 8–10 minutes until crisp and evenly golden.
10 minStep 3: Pour in the 2 cups whole milk and stir. Cook for 6–8 minutes, mashing with the spoon, until the bread breaks down and absorbs nearly all the milk.
8 minStep 4: Add the 5 ½ oz sugar, ½ tsp ground cardamom and 1 pinch saffron threads. Keep stirring over a medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes as the sugar melts and the halwa thickens. It is ready when it leaves the sides of the pan in one glossy mass and a little ghee seeps out at the edges. A common mistake is stopping too early, which leaves it wet and porridge-like.
10 minStep 5: Stir in the cashews and raisins. Serve warm.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bread halwa take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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