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Omani halwa (saffron and rose water halwa)
Glossy dark halwa of caramel, starch, ghee, saffron and nuts
No Omani welcome is complete without a dish of halwa and a cup of cardamom coffee, and in Muscat and Nizwa it is stirred for hours in huge copper pots for Eid, weddings and every family gathering. Sugar is caramelised, then cooked with a cornflour slurry and ghee until it turns dark, glossy and set. It is wobbly and sticky like a very soft fruit jelly, rich with ghee, and fragrant with saffron, cardamom and rose water, with toasted nuts through it. Serve small spoonfuls in little bowls with qahwa, the lightly roasted cardamom coffee. It is naturally egg-free: the starch, cooked slowly with the sugar until it turns clear and thick, does all the setting. Chef's tip: keep stirring and add the ghee a little at a time. The common mistake is stopping, even for a minute, so the halwa catches and burns on the base.
- Total time
- 185 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz cornflour
- 5 cups waterdivided
- 1 ⅛ lb granulated sugardivided
- 5 ½ oz gheemelted
- ½ tsp saffron threadssteeped in 2 tbsp warm rose water
- 3 tbsp rose water
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 ¾ oz slivered almondstoasted
- 1 oz cashews (optional)toasted and halved
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Whisk 3 ½ oz cornflour into 2 ½ cups water until completely smooth and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 2: Put 5 ½ oz granulated sugar in a large heavy pan over a medium heat and leave it to melt, swirling but not stirring, until it is a deep amber caramel at about 350°F.
10 minStep 3: Take the pan off the heat and carefully pour in 2 ½ cups water, standing back as it spits. Return to a low heat and stir until the caramel dissolves.
4 minStep 4: Add 12 ½ oz granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Whisk the cornflour mixture again and pour it in, whisking constantly over a medium-low heat.
5 minStep 5: Keep stirring for 20–25 minutes, until the mixture turns thick and translucent.
22 minStep 6: Add 5 ½ oz ghee a tablespoon at a time over the next hour, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before the next.
60 minStep 7: Stir in ½ tsp saffron threads, 3 tbsp rose water and 1 tsp ground cardamom and keep cooking and stirring for 40–60 minutes, until the halwa is dark mahogany and glossy, ghee seeps out at the edges and it pulls away from the pan in one jiggly mass.
50 minStep 8: Fold in 1 ¾ oz slivered almonds and 1 oz cashews, then spoon into small bowls or a shallow dish. Serve warm or at room temperature; keeps 2 weeks covered at cool room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does omani halwa (saffron and rose water halwa) take?
- About 185 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 160 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
- What can I use instead of granulated sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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