Sohan Halwa is a dense variety of sweet among the traditional confectionary items of India and Pakistan. Made with milk, sugar, corn flour, saffron, ghee and a variety of dry fruits, this delicacy is a true royal treat. It is a solid sweet in contrast to the soft and tender feel of other halwas.
Ingredients
- Corn flour or All purpose flour (Maida) 2 cups
- Sugar 4-1/2 cups
- Tartaric acid 1/2 teaspoon
- Milk 1 cup
- Saffron strings 1/2 teaspoon
(Dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water or milk)
- Orange or Saffron food color Few drops
- Mixed chopped nuts 1/2 cup
(Almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts and pistachios)
- Water 2 cups or as required
- Ghee 1-1/2 cups or as required
Procedure
- Combine sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan and put it on medium heat.
- Bring it to a boil while stirring. Boil for 5 minutes and then add in milk and boil it for another 5 minutes.
Tip: You may add in some powdered cardamom or ground cinnamon for fragrance.
- Remove from heat and strain through a muslin cloth. Then pour in another cup of water and return to low medium heat.
- Stir in corn flour spoon by spoon while stirring constantly to prevent lump formation; stir in dissolved saffron and cook until the mixture is nicely thickened.
- Start adding in ghee, spoon by spoon while stirring. Add next spoon only when previous one is well absorbed.
- Keep stirring while the mixture cooks and until it stops to stick to the bottom of the pan and ghee is separated from mixture. Turn off the heat and remove from heat.
- Stir in chopped nuts and pour the mixture on a well greased tray. Spread the mixture and smoothen the surface with the help of a wooden spoon.
- Let the halva get set and then cut it into pieces of your choice.
- Transfer onto a serving platter and serve.
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4
