The semolina based Halva is very popular in eastern India, Pakistan, Turkey and Persia to get to the eastern Mediterranean, passing through the cuisines of the Balkans. Each version is slightly different depending on the location and is a sweet simple recipe that is full of scents coming from the cinnamon and rose water that give a special flavour to this wonderful sweet.
The word halva also transliterated as halwa, halvah, Halava, helva, halawa comes from ancient Hebrew and Arabic and means sweet. In Israel, Balkans and the Middle East, the recipe is based on sesame paste, while with semolina in India, Pakistan and Persia and chickpeas in the Mediterranean areas.
In the countries of Eastern Europe, like in Ukraine, in particular, it is very common to find the halva made from sunflower seeds, flavored with various flavors of coffee, vanilla, cocoa and in many cases is also mixed together.
Do you know what Halva is? Probably most of you do not know, because if you have not traveled to the Middle East, mainly, and have tried it, it is not a very widespread sweet in the West. Quite the opposite happens for a large part of the rest of the planet, especially in the area of the Eastern Mediterranean, Balkans, the Middle East and India and Pakistan.
Halva, also known as halwa, halvah, halava, helva, halawa is a word of Arabic origin. It means sweet and is made of sesame or sunflower seeds, always sweetened with honey and to which is usually added dry fruits and cinnamon, rose water, or other spices or fragrances. Known also as Gajar Ka Halwa, it is close to what in the West would call budin, and is flavored with cardamom.
Although it is a very widespread sweet, its preparation and result varies depending on the area where it is prepared. So there are different halvas.
In the area of the Eastern Mediterranean (Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece) to Iran, India or Pakistan, traditional halva is prepared with semolina, sugar or honey and some oil, usually with nuts added. This Halva is made fresh hot and becomes more gelatinous and transparent.
In the area of the Balkans, Israel and the Middle East, the Halva consists of a paste prepared with Tahini and syrup or honey, to which is also usually added nuts. As it is a paste, it is cut into portions once it is cold and it can be kept for a long time because the sugar acts as a preservative.
In Eastern European countries, such as Belarus, Romania, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine there is a third variety. It is prepared from seeds of sunflower instead of sesame seeds and is very similar to Sesame Halva. There is a fourth variety based on carrots that is prepared in India and from there you can let your imagination fly.
I cannot fail to mention the Argentinean version called Mantecol, which is made with peanuts. This Latin American version of the halva was taken to the Austral lands by the Chinese. And on the other hand, without a doubt, the different varieties of halva have similarities with the nougats.
The main ingredients of sesame halva are sesame seeds or tahini paste with sugar or honey. Other minor ingredients used in the preparation of sesame halva are the pistachio, paste of coconut, orange juice or lemon juice, vanilla or chocolate. This type is much more popular in the eastern Mediterranean, including Greece, where there are two different types of halva.
Regarding the Jewish religious traditions, as the halva does not contain meat or milk, it is almost always considered pure and can be safely be consumed after a meal of meat or dairy products, respecting Jewish dietary laws Kashrut. The halva is also one of the few dishes invented in Israel, which has managed to earn a place in the sun on the international culinary scene.
Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 373 calories
Ingredients:
1 cup sooji
1 tbsp clarified butter
2 tbsp sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 tsp cardamom pods
2 tbsp chopped almonds, cashew and raisins
Recipe Method:
Boil the milk with sugar and cardamom powder in a pan over low medium heat. Bring to a boil and Set aside.
Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Add sooji and roast to golden brown colour, stirring constantly and a light sweet aroma comes out. Add the syrup slowly and half of the chopped nuts. Turn down the heat to medium low and let it cook till it absorb the milk. Garnish with remaining nuts.
Serve either hot or cold.
