To celebrate Holi, I thought to recreate a beautiful Halwa recipe that I had seen floating around on Social Media. The vibrant red of beetroot, combined with the classic texture of halwa and the brightness of cardamom make for a truly unique and earthy dessert. My recipe has some added rose water to brighten the flavours even more!
What is Halwa?
Halwa is a beautiful South Asian dessert made across the entire subcontinent in various ways. Possibly the most well known varieties are Sooji ka Halwa (Semolina Halwa) or Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa). You can find my Gajar ka Halwa recipe right here. The ingredients for Halwa are incredibly simple using sugar (or in some cases jaggery), cardamom, milk or water. Some recipes will use rose (like in this recipe) or even saffron to add flavour. Growing up, my household would always have a big pot of
What makes this recipe so easy?
It’s a one pot wonder with very little preparation required. The effort is all in the grating of the beetroot, and in mixing the pot. Now this is where the hard work comes in – you have to continuously stir the pot to prevent any burning of the milk or the beetroot. This is super critical to the entire recipe and this bit of extra effort will ensure you get a really smooth and creamy result.
So what do I need to do?
1. Cook the beetroot in ghee, until soft
The beetroot will take some time to cook, roughly 10 minutes, but make sure you stir the pot throughout to prevent any burning of beetroot. I find the whole recipe comes together easiest in a non-stick cooking pot and gives you lovely creamy halwa without a fail.
2. Cook the milk low and slow
You have to be super patient with the recipe and allow the milk to reduce while boiling. While doing this its imperative to continually stir the pot. It will roughly take anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes to reduce depending on the liquid content of the beetroot and the overall fat content in the milk.
3. the “Swipe” Test
This is where you drag your spoon through the pot. If the milk and beetroot mixture fills the open space easily and quickly then the milk is not done reducing. Once the milk and beetroot mixture stays where it is and doesn’t fill the space you are good to go!
4. Add the cardamom at the end
Adding cardamom early will cause it to go a little bit bitter since it should not over cook. By adding the cardamom at the end will brighten everything wonderfully.
5. Always cook over a low-medium flame
This will give you the space to slowly cook everything down without burning. Though this adds time to the recipe, it’s ensure you get an even cook and a beautiful texture at the end
6. Jaggery
For the best results in this recipe, get your hands on some jaggery – the result is absolutely beautiful. There is a lovely earthy quality to the halwa as a result. You could alternatively use brown sugar for the molasses flavour!
7. Rose water
This is the pop of flavour in the halwa that I truly believe makes the beetroot sing. Add it and see for yourself.
Let’s get to the recipe!
Have a go at this beautiful recipe and share your thoughts below! As always, share your attempts with me on Instagram @theminiaturelife. This is for sure on of my favourite little creations.
Beetroot Halwa
Equipment
- Kadhai or Pot
- Grater
Ingredients
- 2½ cups grated fresh beetroot
- 2 cups full cream milk
- 3 tbsp. ghee or vegetable oil
- ¼ to ⅓ cup jaggery depending on your preferred sweetness, and how sweet the beetroot is. Jaggery is available at South Asian grocers. Alternatively substitute with brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp rose water
- pinch of salt
- chopped toasted almonds and pistachio to garnish
Instructions
- Over a medium-low heat, melt the ghee in a kadhai or a non-stick pot
- Add the grated beetroot and stir continuously using a wooden spoon. Cook the beetroot for roughly 10-15 minutes until the water content seems to have evaporated and the beetroot starts to look a bit like a mash. It's okay if the beetroot is still a bit hard at this point.
- Add ¼cup of the jaggery (or brown sugar). Start with less sweetness, and build it up as the halwa cooks. Mix the jaggery through until it just dissolves and combines with the beetroot.
- Pour in all the milk and add the rose water too, and mix the ingredients together. This is whether the real work begins. Continue to mix the pot without stopping until the mixture reduced down. This can take anywhere between 30 to 45 minutes depending on the water content of the beetroots. The mixture is properly reduced when you complete a successful 'swipe test'. Drag your spoon across the bottom of the pan to create a line through the halwa. If the mixture returns and fills this gap quickly, the mixture needs to reduce further. If the mixture doesn't fill the space quickly and looks nice a pudding-like, the halwa consistency is perfect to continue.
- Taste the sweetness of the halwa here. If it needs more sweetness add the remaining jaggery (or brown sugar). Let the jaggery or sugar melt and dissolve completely into the mixture and stir the whole time
- Sprinkle over the ground cardamom and stir the pot one last time until the cardamom is completely mixed through. Turn the heat off the pot and set aside to cool slightly before serving.
- To garnish, scoop some halwa into a dessert bowl and top with the chopped almonds and pistachios.
Wishing you all a wonderful Holi celebration! I hope you liked this recipe too.
