Uzbek halva (holvaitar)

Step 1: Warm 5 ½ oz sugar and 2 cups water in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Keep the syrup hot on the lowest heat.

Step 2: Melt 5 ½ oz butter in a heavy pan over a medium-low heat. Add 5 ½ oz plain flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon.

Step 3: Roast the flour for 15–20 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom. It will go from pale and pasty to loose and bubbling, then turn the colour of milky coffee and smell of biscuits and toasted nuts. A common mistake is turning up the heat to hurry it: the flour scorches in spots and tastes bitter.

Step 4: Take the pan off the heat and pour in the hot syrup in a thin stream, stirring hard. It will hiss and spit, so stand back.

Step 5: Return to a low heat with ½ tsp ground cardamom and cook, stirring, for 3–5 minutes, until the halva thickens, comes away from the sides of the pan and the butter starts to shine at the edges.

Step 6: Spoon into small bowls or a shallow dish, scatter with 1 ¾ oz walnuts and 1 tbsp sesame seeds, and serve warm with green tea. It firms as it cools and can be cut into squares the next day.