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Multani sohan halwa
سوہن حلوہ (sohan halwa): Multan's dense, chewy, caramel-brown halwa of milk, sprouted wheat and ghee with nuts
Packed in round tins and carried home from Multan's Hussain Agahi bazaar as a gift, sohan halwa is the sweet the City of Saints is known for across Pakistan, and families in Lahore and Karachi still wait for relatives to bring a box back after a visit. It is dark, dense and chewy, with a deep caramel flavour from milk and sugar cooked for hours, and its texture comes from samnak, a flour made from sprouted wheat, cooked in ghee until the fat seeps out around the edges. Almonds and pistachios are pressed into the top, and it is eaten in small squares with tea, especially in winter. Giving up too early is the classic error; pale, soft halwa has not been cooked long enough to caramelise and set. Chef's tip: stir constantly once the flour goes in and take your time; the mixture is ready when it turns a deep brown, leaves the pan in a single mass and the ghee pools freely. Take care, as the mixture is very hot and sticky.
- Total time
- 165 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the halwa
- 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 3 ½ oz sprouted-wheat flour (samnak)or wholewheat flour for a softer, less chewy halwa
- ¾ cup water
- 7 oz ghee
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
For the topping
- 2 ⅛ oz almondshalved
- 1 ⅜ oz pistachiosslivered
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Grease a 20 cm square tin with ⅓ oz ghee.
2 minStep 2: Bring 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk to the boil in a heavy, wide pan and boil over a medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring often and scraping the base, until reduced by about half.
30 minStep 3: Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice; the milk will split into soft grainy curds, which is what you want.
2 minStep 4: Add 10 ½ oz sugar and keep boiling, stirring, for about 15 minutes until thick and pale caramel-coloured.
15 minStep 5: Whisk 3 ½ oz sprouted-wheat flour (samnak) with ¾ cup water to a smooth, lump-free paste.
Step 6: Pour the paste into the pan in a thin stream, stirring hard, then cook over a medium-low heat, stirring and scraping without stopping, for about 30 minutes until very thick.
30 minStep 7: Add 6 ½ oz ghee a few spoonfuls at a time over 40–50 minutes, stirring continuously, until the halwa is a deep brown, leaves the sides of the pan as one mass and the ghee seeps out around it.
50 minStep 8: Stir in 1 tsp ground cardamom and half of 2 ⅛ oz almonds and 1 ⅜ oz pistachios.
3 minStep 9: Spread the halwa into the tin about 2 cm thick, press the remaining nuts into the top and pour off any excess ghee once it has settled.
5 minStep 10: Leave to cool completely for at least 2 hours, then cut into squares; it keeps for 3 weeks in an airtight tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does multani sohan halwa take?
- About 165 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 150 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.
- 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 full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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