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Pathein halawa
Sticky rice halawa
Pathein halawa (ပုသိမ်ဟလဝါ): chewy sticky-rice halawa cooked with butter, milk and poppy seeds
Pathein, the old river port of the Ayeyarwady delta, is famous for two things: painted parasols and this halawa, sold in boxes at roadside shops to travellers heading for the beaches at Chaung Tha and Ngwe Saung and carried home as gifts. Unlike dark mont kalama, it is pale amber and rich with dairy: glutinous rice flour is cooked slowly with milk, coconut milk and sugar, and butter and ghee are worked in until the mixture turns chewy, glossy and toffee-like, with poppy seeds pressed on top. It tastes buttery, caramel-sweet and faintly milky, and is cut into small pieces to eat with plain green tea. Adding all the butter at once is the usual slip; the fat floats out and the halawa turns greasy, so work it in a little at a time. Chef's tip: keep the heat low and patient; a light amber colour means a clean, milky flavour.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the halawa
- 7 oz glutinous rice flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- 9 oz sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 ½ oz unsalted buttercubed, plus extra for the tin
- 2 tbsp ghee
For the top
- 2 tbsp poppy seedslightly toasted
- 1 oz cashew nuts (optional)chopped and toasted
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Butter a 20 cm square tin. Whisk 7 oz glutinous rice flour with about a third of the ¾ cup whole milk to a smooth, lump-free paste, then whisk in the rest of the 1 ½ cups whole milk and ¾ cup coconut milk.
Step 3: Turn the heat to low and add about a quarter of the ⅞ oz unsalted butter. Stir and fold until it disappears completely before adding the next piece.
5 minStep 4: Keep adding the rest of the 2 ⅝ oz unsalted butter a little at a time over the next 20 minutes, stirring and scraping the base all the while, until the mixture is smooth and stretchy.
20 minStep 5: Add 2 tbsp ghee and keep stirring over a low heat for 30–35 minutes more, until the halawa turns light amber and glossy, pulls away from the pan as one mass, and a little pressed between cold fingers feels chewy rather than sticky.
35 minStep 6: Scrape into the tin and smooth the top with a buttered spatula.
Step 7: Scatter with 2 tbsp poppy seeds and 1 oz cashew nuts and press them in gently.
Step 8: Leave to cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours until firm, then cut into small squares with a buttered knife. Keep covered in a cool place for up to 5 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pathein halawa take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 75 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.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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