Diwali memories: Aate Ka Halwa
This late ka halwa is my grandmom’s age old recipe. Though she would readily make it for us whenever we asked for it, it was extra special on Diwali morning. On Diwali day, in the morning, there is Hanuman pooja and amma always made aate ka halwa as offering. I have fond memories of waking up to the sweet aroma of wheat roasting in ghee. There would be every kind of sweet in home that day but my favourite was always homemade aate ka halwa.
After the pooja, all the girls of the house used to make rangolis at different places in the house. Earthen lamps (diya) were soaked in water and kept out for drying. Lunch would traditionally be poori, aaloo ki sabzi and halwa.
making rangoli on Diwali morning
the finished rangoli 🙂 I was quite proud of this one! 😀
In the evening amma would do a diya pooja and then we would all line the house with diyas. We would all be dressed up in our new traditional dresses and after the laxmi pooja be quite our charming selves to earn money from the elders as a diwali gift. I miss my childhood days but one thing that I can always make to bring back the memories is amma’s special aate ka halwa; though it misses the primary ingredient – her love!
Aate ka Halwa
By Ashima Goyal Siraj
Preparation time: |Cooking time: |Serves: 4 (as side)
2 cups wheat flour
1½ cup ghee (clarified butter)
6 cups water
2½ cups sugar
2 tsp green cardamom powder
10-12 almonds & cashews, chopped (optional)
6-7 almonds, slivered for garnishing
- In a pan, boil water and sugar together, till the sugar dissolves completely in the water.
- In a separate pan, dry roast flour for a couple of minutes
- Add ghee and roast the flour till it become golden brown and you have a nice flour aroma in your kitchen.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the sugar water to roasted flour slowly, while continuously stirring the flour. This is the most important step. Continuous stirring is important or else there will be lumps in the halwa. Also be careful as there will be lots of sputtering when you add the water. Slowly the halwa will become thicker as the flour absorbs all the water.
- Keep stirring till you see no lumps in the halwa. Add the cardamom powder and chopped dry fruits and stir till the halwa leaves ghee from the sides. It will completely leave the sides of the pan and when removed the pan would come off clean.
- Empty in a serving dish, garnish with slivered almonds and serve hot as dessert or with puris as breakfast.
Aate ka halwa makes for a great winter dish as well as it keeps the body warm. Few of my relatives also add some ginger to it during winters.
hi you are article nice i eat this halwa very good