Moong Dal Halwa
The slow North Indian winter halwa. Soaked moong dal, roasted patiently in A2 bilona ghee until it turns fragrant and deep gold.
Method
- 1
Grind the drained dal to a coarse, thick paste with as little water as possible. It should hold together, not pour.
- 2
Warm the ghee in a heavy kadhai on low heat. Add the dal paste and start stirring.
- 3
Roast on low, stirring almost constantly, for 30 to 40 minutes. It will clump, then loosen, then turn sandy and deep gold, and the ghee will separate at the edges. This stage cannot be rushed.
- 4
Meanwhile heat the milk and water together until steaming, and dissolve the sugar in it.
- 5
Add the hot sweetened milk to the dal a ladle at a time, stirring after each addition until fully absorbed.
- 6
Stir in the cardamom and saffron milk. Cook another 5 minutes until glossy and the ghee pools at the sides.
- 7
Fold through half the nuts. Serve hot, scattered with the rest.
Chef's tips
- ✦Low heat is the whole recipe. On high heat the dal browns outside and stays raw inside.
- ✦Grainy ghee melts cleanly and carries the roast. If your ghee smells of nothing when it warms, the halwa will taste of nothing.
- ✦Add the milk hot. Cold liquid seizes the roasted dal into lumps.
Made with
The exact ingredients used in this recipe, pure, traceable, lab-tested.
