Singhara Halwa (सिंघाड़ा हलवा)

Singhara Halwa (सिंघाड़ा हलवा)

During fasting, Hindus are not allowed to break their fast with anything that contains cereals, lentils and ordinary salt. Therefore, traditional ‘fasting food’ or ‘vrat ka khana’ as it is called in India,  is prepared with other Ingredients like sago , roots like sweet potato , potato, singhara ( water chestnuts)  and buckwheat .

One among these foods is singhara halwa , it’s a sweet  which is  rich in protein  and also  high in calories.

Regional Dish:  North India , Maharashtra and Gujarat

Cusian Style : Maharashtra | Cooking Time 30 mins | Take as Such | Type Sweet/Snack | Shelf Life : 2  days |Quantity : 4 Servings.

Appx. Nutritional values calculated for 1 serving ( 1cup )

Calories (160 Kcals), Carbohydrates (18.0 g), Protein (2.6 g), Fat (2.8 g).

Halwa prepared using singhara flour

Ingredients

• 1 cup Singhara flour ( water chestnut flour)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tso freshly ground cardamom powder
• 2 tbs blanched and shredded almonds and pistachios

Method:

1. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add singhara flour and stir-fry on medium heat, until it changes color and aroma of roasting rises.
2. Meanwhile, dissolve sugar in hot water. Add cardamom powder to it.
3. Turn heat to minimum and  add water in which sugar is dissolved slowly and stirring at the same time, to avoid lump forming.
4. Turn heat up to medium again and keep stirring, until the whole mass comes off the edges of the pan as the ghee starts separating from the pan.
5. Stir in half the nuts and take the halwa out in a serving bowl.
6. Garnish with remaining nuts and serve hot.

Halwa prepared using fresh singhara  ( water chestnuts)

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg (500 gms) water chestnuts ( cleaned , peeled )
• 150 gms mawa/khoa/dry milk powder
• 1 cup milk
• 125 gms sugar
• 5tbs of ghee/ clarified butter
• 2 tbs chopped alomnds and cashew nuts
• Pinch of saffron / yellow food color

Method:

1. Peel the singharas and grate them. You can also make a thick paste of it in the mixer
2. Heat a pan and put ghee. Fry the singhara paste in ghee for 8-10 minutes.
3. Add mawa to the paste. Mix every 30 seconds till the color changes to light brown. Mawa flavor comes after cooking for 30 minutes at medium flame.
4. In a small bowl, take little milk and soak saffron or add yellow color. Keep it aside.
5. Boil milk in a container and add sugar; Stir well.
6. Add the thickened milk to singhara paste and stir continuously again.
7. Finish off with color , nuts and cardamom powder