Halva recipe – Halva is a dessert popular in the middle east and south Asian countries. This is an easy, delicious and healthy halva made with lentils, jaggery or brown sugar, nuts and ghee. There are few halwa recipes like carrot halwa or pumpkin halwa, which need quite a lot of effort to cook. But this lentil halva can be made in a jiffy since it requires no planning no grating no blending etc.
I had shared a traditional moong dal halwa recipe earlier but was made with sugar and method of preparation is completely different.
This recipe is good when we do not have much time and want to make something healthy without the use of refined sugar.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation
1. Dry roast lentils on a low to medium flame until aromatic. Rinse it very well a few times until the water runs clear.
2. Add water and cook it. You can cook it in a pot or a pressure cooker. I went the easy way using a pressure cooker.
Cooked it for 2 whistles on a medium flame. You may need to cook for longer or more whistles depending on the kind of lentils used.
3. It must be cooked soft and mushy. Mash it well if you desire.
4. Add your sweetener and cardmom / elaichi powder. For the sweetener, you can use jaggery, jaggery syrup, organic brown sugar or organic pure palm jaggery or coconut sugar. I have used organic palm jaggery. Make sure your sweetener is clean & free from debris.
5. Allow to cook until it melts and begins to bubble well.
How to make halva
6. Meanwhile in a small pan, Heat ghee and fry cashews and raisins (optional). You can also add a crushed clove now, it emits a very good aroma. I forgot to add it.
7. I used sliced pistachios, so I added them later to prevent burning.
8. Set aside your nuts and add the halva to the pan. Alternately, you can just pour the hot ghee to your halva. I have a kid who is teething so I choose to cook the nuts for a while to soften them.
Continue to cook it with ghee for 3 to 4 mins to add aroma and taste. You can also add more ghee or add little more water to bring it to consistency.
Garnish with roasted nuts and serve warm. This halva hardens when cooled down. So it is good to serve while warm or heat up with little water stirred in to it.
Recipe
Halva recipe
Halva recipe | Indian halva with jaggery
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- ½ cup yellow petite lentils or mung dhal
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ to ¾ cup jaggery / brown sugar/ palm jaggery (prefer organic & unrefined)
- ¼ tsp elaichi / green cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp ghee solid or 2 to 2.5 tbsp melted ghee
- Cashews or nuts as desired
Instructions
Preparation
- Dry roast lentils on a low flame until aromatic. Rinse very well and cook with 1.5 cups water until smooth.
- It can be cooked in a pressure cooker for 2 to 3 whistles on a medium flame.
- Mash the lentils very well and add the sweetener along with cardamom powder.
- Cook on a low heat stirring often for few mins for the sweetener to dissolve completely.
How to make halva
- Heat ghee in a pan and fry nuts until golden. Set the nuts aside and add the ghee to halva . Stir and cook for 2 to 3 mins.
- Halva will turn thicken once it cools
- Garnish with nuts. Best served hot or warm. If needed to reheat, add little water into the pot until bubbly.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Ranu says
Hi Swasthi,
Thanks a ton for posting these recipes. I have tried a couple of your recipies and my 9 month old girl really enjoys them. The moong daal galea sounds yummy. Can I feed this to her for dinner? She usually eats her dinner by 6:30 or 7:00 pm.
Thanks,
Ranu
swasthi says
Hi Ranu
You are welcome. Thanks for trying. Yes you can feed before 7 pm. Warm halwa is better for digestion.
Afra says
Can this be fed to 8 months old baby of mine? If so, how many tsps to feed? I dont really know how much to feed her. And also, how many times to feed her in a day. I was only breastfeeding till 8 months. Enlighten me pls
swasthi says
Hi Afra,
Yes you can feed. Please follow these 2 posts to know how to introduce solids to babies.
How to introduce solids
Baby food chart for 8 months to 1 year
If you have any doubts you can leave a comment
Nidhi says
Hi Swasthi,
can we use honey instead of jaggery ? if yes how much honey should be used?
Regards,
swasthi says
Hi Nidhi
No, honey doesn’t go well in this. Honey should never be heated or cooked as all the nutrients will be lost and results in toxins
Amina says
Hi man is it healthy for my 3 years old daughter. She is very weak mam what to give her mam to eat she do not eat anything. Pls make a good and healthy diet chart for her.she wakes up at 6 am .
swasthi says
Hi Amina
This is good for her, you can give her about 4 to 5 times in a week.. At 3 years of age she needs 2 meals, 1 breakfast, 2 servings of fruits and 2 servings of milk. I will try to share a chart
Vishrut i says
How much does a 2 year old need to eat ?
swasthi says
3 to 4 tbsps should be fine. If he/ she digests it very well. Next time you can increase to 6 tbsp