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Singhare ka halwa
Water chestnut flour pudding
सिंघाड़े का हलवा: water-chestnut flour roasted golden in ghee and cooked with sugar water into a soft, quick halwa for vrat days
Singhara, water chestnut, is dried and ground into a pale flour that North Indian homes keep for fasts, and this halwa is what many make first on Navratri Ashtami, Janmashtami or Ekadashi, often as the bhog offered before the fast is broken. It comes together in twenty minutes: the flour is roasted in ghee until it smells toasty and darkens a shade, hot sugar water goes in, and with fast stirring it swells into a soft, glossy halwa that is earthy, sweet and slightly chewy. Serve it warm, on its own or with kuttu puri and aloo for a full fasting meal. It uses only ingredients allowed on most fasts. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the water and keep it at a boil; cold liquid makes the flour seize into lumps the moment it hits the pan.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 2 ⅞ oz ghee
- ½ tsp ground green cardamom
- 1 tbsp almonds (optional)slivered
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 ¾ cups water and 3 ½ oz sugar in a pan until the sugar dissolves, then keep it simmering.
5 minStep 2: Melt 2 ⅞ oz ghee in a heavy kadhai over a low heat, add 3 ½ oz singhara atta (water chestnut flour) and roast, stirring constantly, for 7–8 minutes until it turns a shade darker, smells toasty and the ghee bubbles through it.
8 minStep 3: Standing back, pour in the hot sugar water in a steady stream while stirring fast; it will splutter and bubble up. Common mistake: pouring it all in at once without stirring; you get lumps that won't smooth out.
1 minStep 4: Keep stirring over a low heat for 4–5 minutes until the halwa thickens, comes away from the sides of the pan and the ghee shines on top.
5 minStep 5: Stir in ½ tsp ground green cardamom, scatter over 1 tbsp almonds and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does singhare ka halwa take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 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.
- 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 sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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