Ashoka Halwa

Ashoka Halwa or Asoka Halwa is a popular dessert from Thiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur District (South part of India). It is a flour-based Halwa. The primary  ingredients are moong dal, sugar, ghee, and wheat flour.

There are many varieties of preparing this halwa, with halwa flour or using milk. I am using a simple process here.

                                    Ashoka Halwa recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Sweet
Prep Time:15 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins     |  Serves:2

Ingredients

Moong dhall - 1cup

Wheat flour - 1tbsp

Ghee - 1/2 cup

Cashew -few

Sugar - 1 to 1.5 cups

Elaichi powder - 1tsp

Kesari colour (optional)

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 Method:

• First take a pan, and roast the dhall until nice aroma rises, now pressure cook it for 3 whistles, until its mashed well.
  
• Next add 1tbsp ghee to a heavy bottomed pan and fry the cashews and set aside.In the remaining ghee add the wheat flour and fry well. It will form into bread crumbs texture. Fry until nice aroma leaves. Dont change the colour of the flour.
  
• Now meantime mash the cooked dhall finely. If excess water remains in the cooked dhall strain it and now mash it well.
• To the pan add the sugar and 1cup water and allow it form 1 string consistency.Mostly add food colour to this sugar syrup and cardamon powder also. I am not using food colour.
  
• When the srting forms, add the wheat flour and mix well. Now I am cooking this syrup in an ordinary stainless steel pan and whisking the flour to the syrup to avoid lumps. In a non-stick pan u cannot use a whsiker, it will spoil the coating. So, until this step i use an ordinary vessel and now I am transfering to a non stick pan.
  
• Now when the mixed flour boils well, add the dhall and mix well. Simulatneously add ghee to the sides and mix well.
  
• It will get folded and form a halwa consistency. Now add the roasted cashews and mix well. Keep stiring until it leaves the sides and forms a non sticky dough.
  
• Transfer it to a greased cup and serve it.