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October 28, 2018

18 Halwa Recipes - Indian Halwa Varieties

INDIAN HALWA VARIETIES

Here is the collection of 18 different types of halwa recipes / Halwa varieties in my blog. In this list, you can find the links of 18 halwa recipes under one page. Most of them are popular, easy to make, must try Top South Indian and North Indian halwa recipes for Diwali and other festivals. As you all know Halwa (Halva/ Halawa/ Sheera in Hindi) is one of the most popular Indian dessert recipes. The word halwa means sweetness. It is prepared using flour or nuts as the base ingredient. 

In this collection, you can find the Indian halva recipes starting from easy carrot halwa using pressure cooker, suji halwa, beginners special corn flour halwa to the most time consuming Tirunelveli halwa / wheat halwa. Among these halwa varieties, my favorite is badam halwa, easy atta halwa and suji halwa. You too choose your favorite, try and share your feedback. I am yet to try Kerala halwa and some more popular halwa recipes. I will update this list whenever I share them. Lets see the collection of 18 halwa varieties below. Please click on the images to see the particular halwa recipe.

CARROT HALWA WITH KHOYA USING PRESSURE COOKER


This is an easy and quick carrot halwa (Gajar halwa in Hindi) that is prepared using grated carrot, khoya, sugar, ghee and nuts. This recipe is without milk and condensed milk. Please click the image below to know how to make carrot halwa easily using a pressure cooker.


Carrot halwa with khoya

BEETROOT HALWA USING PRESSURE COOKER


Beetroot halwa very similar to carrot halwa in cooking procedure . It is a healthy, yummy, quick halwa recipe. This recipe is without khoya/ mawa. Check how to prepare it.


Beetroot halwa

BADAM HALWA


Badam halwa / Almond halwa like sweet shop style. It is one of the popular halwa recipes in South India. This rich and costly halwa can be made easily at home too. check out the recipe link by clicking the image below.


Badam halwa

CORN FLOUR HALWA/ KARACHI HALWA


Bombay Karachi halwa, the most popular halwa recipe in North India. But its a very simple recipe prepared using corn flour, sugar and ghee. According to me this halwa is a beginners recipe. Anyone can make it easily and perfectly by following the steps. Do check it out.



Corn flour halwa

TIRUNELVELI HALWA USING WHEAT FLOUR


This is a simplified version of Tirunelveli halwa using wheat flour. It tastes close to original Tirunelveli halwa. Do give a try.



Tirunelveli halwa with wheat flour

MOONG DAL HALWA / MOONG DAL SHEERA


This is a popular North Indian style sheera recipe. It tastes so good. I have shared an interesting method to reduce the cooking time of this halwa. Do check out the recipe.



Moong dal halwa

SOOJI HALWA / SUJI KA SHEERA


Suji halwa is a very simple and quick halwa recipe prepared for most of the festivals. This halwa is served along with Poori, Chole for breakfast. Halwa puri chole is one of the most popular breakfast combo in North India and Pakistan.



Sooji halwa

MILK HALWA / DOODH HALWA/ PAAL HALWA


Milk halwa / Paal halwa in Tamil / Doodh is the first sweet which got me a good name from my relatives. This halwa is very easy to make and tastes very rich. It is different from milk kesari in ratio, method of preparation as well as taste. It tastes similar to paal khova.



Milk halwa


KASI HALWA/ ASH GOURD HALWA


Kasi Halwa (Vellai Poosanikai Halwa in Tamil,Ash Gourd Halwa /Winter Melon Halwa in English, Boodida Gummaikaya Halwa in Telugu, Kumbalanga Halwa in Malayalam, Kushmandha halwa, காசி அல்வா /  பூசணிக்காய் அல்வா / Kalyana Poosani Halwa ) is one of the most popular sweet recipes which is served in Brahmin weddings.



Kasi halwa

ASHOKA HALWA / PASI PARUPPU HALWA


Ashoka halwa is one of the most popular South Indian sweet which is popular in Thiruvaiyaru. Thiruvaiyaru Asoka halwa (Pasi paruppu halwa) made with yellow moong dal, sugar and ghee. This paasi paruppu halwa is completely different from North Indian moong dal halwa.



Ashoka halwa

CARROT HALWA WITHOUT KHOYA USING PRESSURE COOKER


Carrot halwa | Gajar ka halwa is the easiest and delicious sweet recipe that can be made in jiffy.The best thing about this sweet is it takes very less ghee unlike other halwa recipes. It tastes the best when served warm with ice cream.



Carrot halwa in pressure cooker

ATTA HALWA / KADAH PRASAD


Atta halwa also known as Atta ka sheera is one of the most popular sweet/ dessert recipe in North India. This is an Instant halwa made with whole wheat flour( atta in Hindi). This atte ka halwa is served as Kadah prasad ( Karah prashad) to all the visitors of Gurudwara ( A place of worship for Sikhs ) in Punjab.



Atta halwa

CHEWY CORN FLOUR HALWA


This chewy Bombay Karachi Halwa also known as Jelly halwa  is prepared using the same ingredients of corn flour halwa but slightly different in procedure. The basic difference between soft halwa and chewy halwa (rubbery halwa) lies in the cooking time. Do click the image to see the recipe with video.



Bombay Karachi halwa

MAIDA HALWA


This is yet again a beginners recipe. It never goes wrong. You can make it soft or chewy as per your taste by changing the cooking time.



Maida halwa

BREAD HALWA RECIPE


One of the best ways to use the leftover bread slices. It can be prepared so quickly with just milk, sugar and ghee.



Bread halwa

MICROWAVE SOOJI HALWA


Sooji halwa / Rava kesari in Tamil can be easily prepared in a microwave oven too. Check it out.



Microwave sooji halwa

TIRUNELVELI HALWA


If you are looking forward to try authentic Tirunelveli halwa recipe with whole wheat (samba godhumai), here is the link for you.


Tirunelveli halwa

CARROT HALWA WITHOUT KHOYA IN KADAI


Traditionally carrot halwa is prepared in a wide kadai by boiling the carrots in milk. I have shared the same here without using khoya or condensed milk.


Traditional Carrot halwa
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October 26, 2018

Shakkarpara Recipe With Wheat Flour–Wheat Flour Shankarpali Recipe

shakkarpara recipe with wheat flour
Shakkarpara/ Shankarpali is a most popular North Indian style deep fried snacks recipe prepared during Diwali and Holi festivals. It is popular in Gujarat and Maharashtra. It tastes mildly sweet and is served as a teatime snack. In South India, it is known as sweet maida biscuit. It is usually added in South Indian mixture. I have already shared that recipe HERE. Traditionally shakkarpara is prepared using maida, sugar, ghee and milk or water.

 Today I have shared shankarpali recipe using wheat flour/ atta. I watched few YouTube video recipes and came up with this version. As I wished,  it came out really well. It was super crunchy and mildly sweet in taste. Sendhil and Raksha loved it very much. They started munching even before it cooled down completely. I was very happy that my first recipe for Diwali and it was a big hit with my family.

 There was no big difference in the ingredients and taste of maida Shakkarpara and wheat flour Shakkarpara. Only thing is the color of wheat flour shankarpali is darker than maida ones. People who are looking for snacks and sweets using wheat flour must give this a try. You will love it for sure. For healthier options, you can also use jaggery instead of sugar and bake them instead of frying in oil. Ok, lets see how to make Shakkar para with wheat flour.

Check out my sweet maida biscuits and spicy diamond cuts too.

 
Shankarpali with wheat flour

Shakkarpara Recipe Using wheat flour - Wheat flour shankarpali


Shakkarpara Recipe Using wheat flour - Wheat flour shankarpali

Shakkarpara Recipe Using wheat flour - Wheat flour shankarpali



Cuisine: North Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 1 cup
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes



INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250 ml
  • Wheat flour / Atta - 1 cup
  • Semolina / Sooji / Rava - 1 tbsp ( fine or coarse)
  • Melted ghee - 2 tbsp
  • Sugar - 1/4 cup
  • Water - 1/4 cup (adjust upto 1/3 cup)
  • Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Cooking oil - to deep fry

HOW TO MAKE SHAKKARPARA WITH WHEAT FLOUR

  1. To make Shakkarpara, heat sugar and water in a kadai.
  2. After the sugar is melted, switch off the flame.
  3. Add ghee, cardamom powder and set aside to cool.
  4. Add wheat flour, sooji, a pinch of salt and make a non-sticky dough.
  5. Roll to a thick chapathi and cut into squares.
  6. Heat oil to deep fry. Drop a batch of Shakkarpara and deep fry till golden in medium flame.
  7. After the bubbles cease, remove the Shakkarpara and cool down to become crunchy.
  8. Store in a box and enjoy for a week.

SHAKKARPARA WITH WHEAT FLOUR - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

  • In a kadai, take sugar and add water, ghee. Heat and melt the sugar. No need to bring any consistency. Switch off the flame. Add cardamom powder. Mix well.
  • Shakkarpara with wheat flour
  • Let the sugar water cool down completely. Add wheat flour, semolina / sooji, a pinch of salt and mix well.
  • Shakkarpara with wheat flour
  • Knead to a smooth, non sticky dough. Roll into thick 1 inch chapathi and trim the cracked edges. Cut into small squares using a knife or a pizza cutter.

  • Finish the entire dough by making shapes. Collect them in a bowl.
  • Shakkarpara with wheat flour
  • Heat oil to deep fry. Drop a pinch of dough. If it rises to the top immediately, oil temperature is correct.  Fry the Shakkarpara in batches in low to medium flame till bubbles cease completely. As soon as you put the shakkarpara in oil, do not disturb it for a minute. It will break it you touch it now. Let it cook in low flame. Then flip and toss it gently. Toss it whenever needed for uniform color.
  • Shakkarpara with wheat flour
  • Color of wheat flour shankarpali would be darker than maida ones. So do not panic. Try to cook in low flame patiently by tossing it regularly. It helps to get nice golden color as shown in the pictures. But remember to remove them only after the bubbles cease. Remove them in a tissue paper. It tastes soft when hot. But it becomes crunchy once it cools down completely.
  • Deep fry all the Shakkarpara in batches. Cool down and store in a box. It stays good for one week to 10 days. Enjoy !

Note

  • You can add sugar and water up to 1/3 cup based on the quality of wheat flour because some flour takes more water while kneading the dough.
  • Deep fry shakkarpara only in low to medium flame else the outer layer darkens soon without cooking inside. So the next day it will become soggy and soft.
  • Similarly deep fry all the batches properly. Even if one batch is not fried well, it will spoil the entire sweet. So please fry them patiently.

Try this yummy shakkarpara with wheat flour, you will love it !
wheat flour shakkarpara


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October 22, 2018

Sabudana Khichdi Recipe - Non-sticky Sabudana Kichdi

How to make non sticky sabudana khichdi

Making a perfect sabudana khichdi at home must be a challenging task for many ladies. Me too not an exception. Soaking and cooking sabudana (Sago in English, Javvarisi in Tamil, Sabakki in Kannada) soft and non-sticky is a bit tricky. 

As Sendhil is a big fan of sabudana recipes, I try to make it once in 10 days.  After so many trail and error, I started to soak sabudana perfectly without becoming mushy by adding the right amount of water. 

Earlier I used to cook it for more than 20 minutes to make it completely transparent and soft. But it becomes lumpy and sticky. When it becomes sticky, we cannot trouble shoot it easily. Sabudana turns soft, transparent and cooks quickly if its soaked properly. Cooking for longer time is also one of the reasons for sticky sabudana. So based on my observations, I have shared few tips and tricks for soaking, testing and cooking sabudana perfectly.

 If you follow the steps carefully, anyone can make perfect, non-sticky sabudana khichdi at home. Ok, over to the recipe with stepwise pictures.

As I was busy in frequent travel to my native place for some personal works, I was not able to make any new post in my blog in the past week. Sorry, hope I can concentrate from this week.  I will try to start the Diwali recipes from my next post.

How to make non sticky sabudana khichdi at home

Sabudana Khichdi Recipe


Sabudana Khichdi Recipe

How to make non-sticky sabudana khichdi recipe at home with stepwise pictures. 



Cuisine: North Indian
Category: Fasting recipes
Serves:  4
Prep time: 6 Hours
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 6H 20Minutes



INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml
  • Sabudana / White big sago – 2 cups
  • Water – 1.5 to 2 cups to soak
  • Potato – 2 nos ( small , skin peeled & chopped)
  • Roasted and crushed peanuts - 1/2 cup
  • Green chilli – 2 nos (finely chopped)
  • Ginger - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
  • Coriander leaves - a handful ( to garnish)
  • Curry leaves - Few
  • Lemon juice - Few drops
  • Salt - as needed
  • Sugar - 1/2 tsp
To Temper
  • Ghee - 2 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

HOW TO MAKE SABUDANA KHICHDI

  1. Wash the sabudana twice. Drain the water completely.
  2. Add water and soak for minimum 6 hours. 
  3. Press to check it mushy. Drain the water completely.
  4. Heat ghee in a kadai. Temper cumin seeds, curry leaves.
  5. Add chopped potato, salt and saute till it becomes soft.
  6. Add chopped green chilli, ginger and saute well.
  7. Then add soaked sabudana, mix gently in low flame.
  8. Cover the kadai with a lid and cook for 2 minutes.
  9. Toss once and then cook for another 2 minutes,
  10. Repeat until sabudana becomes transparent and soft.
  11. Do not stir more and keep cooking for longer time.
  12. Lastly add the crushed peanuts, lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well. Switch off the flame. Serve hot !

SABUDANA KHICHDI RECIPE - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

  • Wash the white, big sabudana/ sago twice or thrice to remove the whitish starch. Drain the water completely without a single drop of it. Add 1.75 to 2 cups of water( I used 2 cups) and make sure the water level is just 1/2 inch above sabudana. No need to cover the bowl. Soak the sabudana for minimum 6 hours to overnight. (Sabudana absorbs all the water within 2 hours and starts to double in size).
  • How to make non sticky sabudana khichdi
  • After 6 hours, sabudana becomes big in size and almost double in quantity.  It looks separate and fluffy without any water. To check if its soaked well, take one sabudana and press it. If it becomes mushy, sabudana is soaked well. If you feel slightly hard to press, add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more water and soak for some more time by covering the bowl with a lid.
  • How to make non sticky sabudana khichdi
  • Dry roast the peanuts and crush it coarsely in a mixie. Set aside. Wash and peel the skin of potato. Chop into small cubes. Finely chop green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves and keep it aside.

  • Heat ghee in a good non-stick pan. Splutter cumin seeds, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Add potato pieces and required salt. Saute well till potato becomes soft and 3/4th cooked.   
  • How to make non sticky sabudana khichdi
    • Add soaked sabudana, sugar and saute well till it starts to become transparent. Lower the flame completely. Cover the kadai with a lid and cook for 2 minutes without adding water. Open the lid and toss it gently. Again cover cook for 2 minutes and toss it. Repeat the same till sabudana becomes soft and transparent without much white part.
    • How to make non sticky sabudana khichdi
    • It takes around 10 to 12 minutes to cook perfect. ( TIP : When you feel sabudana starts to become lumpy and sticking at the bottom, it indicates sabudana is over cooked. So switch off the flame immediately). Lastly add the crushed peanuts, chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix well and switch off the flame.
    • How to make non sticky sabudana khichdi
      Enjoy !

    Note

    • For variations, you can add crushed peanuts in the soaked sabudana before cooking. It also helps to make non-sticky khichdi.
    • You can also add ginger chilli paste instead of adding as pieces.
    • If you do not want to use potato, you can skip it too.
    • If you are not making as vrat/ fasting recipe, you can add onions too.

    Try this easy, yummy, non-sticky sabudana khichdi for fasting days food. You will feel full and energetic !

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    October 15, 2018

    Chalimidi, Vadapappu, Panakam - Andhra Naivedyam Recipes

     
    Vadapappu, Chalimidi and Panakam are the 3 most popular and quick and easy naivedyam recipes of Andhra. It is usually prepared for Ramanavami , Varalakshmi vratham and on the first day of Navratri. 

    All these 3 prasdams can be prepared under 10 minutes. Chalimidi is of two types. One is pachi chalimidi is an uncooked version which is made of rice flour and powdered jaggery. Second one is Pakkam chalimidi in which rice flour is cooked in jaggery syrup. In Tamil, it is called as Maavilakku. Today I have shared Pachi chalimidi recipe. 

    Traditionally chalimidi is prepared using homemade processed rice flour. But today I have shared a quick version using store bought rice flour/Idiyappam flour. Vadapappu is also an easy, one ingredient naivedayam recipe prepared by soaking moong dal. It is similar to Karnataka's Kosambari.  Panakam is a sweet drink and a summer coolant that is prepared by mixing jaggery, dry ginger powder, pepper powder in water. 

    Friends, do try these 3 easy, yummy Andhra special naivedayam recipes for festivals and offer to God.

    Check out my other Andhra recipes too !


    Chalimidi recipe, Vadapappu and Panakam


    Chalimidi recipe, Vadappau and Panakam

    Chalimidi recipe, Vadapappu and Panakam - 3 Andhra special Naivedaym recipes



    Cuisine: Andhra
    Category: Sweet
    Serves: 2
    Prep time: 5 Minutes
    Cook time: 5 Minutes
    Total time: 10 Minutes



    INGREDIENTS

    1 cup = 250ml
    Chalimidi recipe
    • Idiyappam flour / Homemade processed rice flour – 1/2 cup
    • Powdered jaggery or powdered sugar – 1/4 cup ( I used organic brown sugar, so color is dark)
    • Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp
    • Ghee - 1 tbsp
    • Water - 1 tbsp or more as needed
    Vadapappu recipe
    • Moong dal - 1/4 cup
    • Water - to soak
    Panakam Recipe
    • Water - 1 cup
    • Powdered jaggery - 2 tbsp
    • Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
    • Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
    • Edible camphor - a dash
    • Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp
    • Lemon juice - few drops
    • Tulsi leaves - to garnish

    HOW TO MAKE CHALIMID, VADAPAPPU, PANAKAM - METHOD

    1. To make Chalimidi, take the rice flour, jaggery, ghee, cardamom powder in a bowl.
    2. Mix  well. Add little water if needed and make a non-sticky ball. Pachi Chalimidi is ready.
    3. To make vadapappu, wash and soak moong dal in water for 1 hour. Drain the water completely and offer to God. 
    4. For panakam preparation, mix jaggery and other ingredients in water. Filter the water.
    5. Panakam is ready. Garnish with few tulsi leaves and offer to God on Ramanavami and other festivals.

    METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES


    • How to make pachi chalimidi : Take store bought idiyappam/ appam flour in a bowl. Add powdered jaggery ( I used organic brown sugar/Naatu sakkarai, so its color is too dark), cardamom powder, ghee. Mix well. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. water. Mix well and make a smooth ball. Pachi chalimidi is ready. 

    • How to make vadapappu : In a bowl, take the moong dal. Wash and soak in enough water for an hour. Drain the water completely and take the soaked, wet moong dal. Offer to God.

    • How to make panakam: Take one cup of water. Add powdered jaggery, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and pepper powder. Add lemon juice and edible camphor. Mix well and strain it. Garnish with few Tulsi leaves. Panakam is ready to serve. Enjoy !

    Note

    • Adjust the quantity of jaggery in chalimidi and panakam based on your taste.

    3 easy and yummy Andhra special naivedyam recipes are ready !


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    October 11, 2018

    Bellam Paramannam In Pressure Cooker – Andhra Rice Payasam With Jaggery

    Bellam paramannam recipe

     Paramannam is a rice based sweet dish that is most popular in Andhra. This Indian dessert recipe is also known as annam payasam, bellam paramannam in Telugu. In simple words, bellam paramannam is nothing but Andhra style rice payasam with jaggery.  It is one of the most important naivedyam recipes that is offered to God for festivals like Sankranti, Varalakshmi Vratham, Ganesh chaturthi, Navratri and much more. This sweet dish is prepared with rice, milk, sugar or jaggery, nuts and ghee.

    Authentic paramannam is made by cooking raw rice in milk in an open pot. But I prepared this bellam paramannam in a pressure cooker. It took just 15 minutes for making this Andhra style payasam recipe. Consistency of paramannam depends on the quantity of milk and jaggery syrup. It looks thin when hot and it thickens over time. So you can adjust the quantity of milk as per the desired consistency. There are chances of paramannam getting curdled when you add jaggery syrup to the hot milk. So you should always add the jaggery syrup after switching off the flame. You can make it perfect all the time.

    So friends, try this yummy Andhra style paramannam recipe during this Navratri festival and enjoy. Lets see how to make bellam paramannam recipe with step by step pictures.

    Check out my other Andhra recipes too !

    Paramannam recipe

    Paramannam recipe - Bellam paramannam


    Paramannam recipe - Bellam paramannam

    Andhra style rice kheer with jaggery - Bellam paramannam recipe with step by step pictures.



    Cuisine: Andhra recipes
    Category: Sweet
    Serves: Serves 4
    Prep time: 10 Minutes
    Cook time: 20 Minutes
    Total time: 30 Minutes



    INGREDIENTS

    1 cup - 250ml
    • Raw rice / Sona masoori rice – 1/4 cup
    • Boiled Milk – 2 cups or Milk + water – 1 cup each
    • Sugar or jaggery – 1/2 cup (adjust as per taste)
    • Water – 1/4 cup for syrup
    • Cardamom – 2 nos (crushed)
    • Cashews and dry grapes/raisins - Few

    HOW TO MAKE BELLAM PARAMANNAM RECIPE

    1. In a pressure cooker base, take the rice, milk. Put a spoon inside the cooker to avoid splashing of milk.
    2. Pressure cook in low flame for 2 whistles. Switch off the flame. Open, mash the rice well.
    3. In a pan, melt jaggery and make a thin syrup.
    4. Strain and add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice when warm. Mix well.
    5. Add the cardamom powder, roasted nuts. Boil in low flame for a minute.
    6. Switch off the flame and serve hot or cold.

    BELLAM PARAMANNAM - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

    • Wash the rice. In a pressure cooker base, take the rice, milk + water or milk alone. Add a pinch of salt. Mix well, drop a small plate or spoon inside the Cooker. It helps to avoid splashing of milk while it whistles.  Pressure cook in very low flame for two whistles. 

    • Open the cooker after the steam is released. Remove the spoon. Mash the rice with a whisk and make it mushy.  Add some water if it's too thick. Boil for a minute. Remove and Set aside.

    • In a bowl, take the jaggery and add water. Boil and melt the jaggery completely. Make a thin syrup. No need to bring any consistency. Switch off the flame and let the syrup becomes warm.

    • Strain the syrup in a metal strainer. Add to the cooked rice. Mix well and check for consistency. Add more boiled milk or water if needed. Do not switch on the flame.

    • Heat ghee in a small kadai. Roast the cashews and raisins till golden. Add to the paramannam. Add cardamom powder. Mix well. You can add a pinch of edibke camphor if you like.

    • Now Switch on the flame and keep it very low. Boil for a minute or two. Mix now and then. Do not roll boil. Paramannan should be just heated. Switch off the flame and keep it aside. Serve hot or cold as you like.

    • Enjoy !

    Note

    • Adjust the quantity of jaggery as you like.
    • Do not add hot jaggery syrup to the payasam. It may curdle.
    • Instead of pressure cooking, you can cook the rice in an open pot. But keep stirring every now and then to avoid burnt bottom.
    • You can also cook the rice in equal quantity of water and milk.
    • You can add a pinch of edible camphor for more flavor.

    Yummy, Andhra style rice kheer with jaggery is ready to serve. Tastes the best when served chilled.


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