Ashoka halwa– 300th post (with video)

I am very excited today that I am posting my 300th post in this blog with a video clip. So thought of sharing a sweet dish to celebrate this occasion. Ashoka Halwa is a very popular sweet dish in Tanjavur and Thiruvaiyaru. I have tasted once in my college canteen during my under graduate. After that I never got an opportunity taste this amazing dish. Recently my friend Bhuvana who is from Kumbakonam prepared this and shared with me. The texture and taste of the dish were excellent. I am very happy to share this first guest post and my sincere thanks to my friend Bhuvana for all her efforts.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup – Paasi paruppu / Moong dhal / Split green gram
• 2 1/2 tbsp – Wheat flour / Kothumai maavu
• 1 1/2 cup – Sugar
• 1/4 cup – Ghee (as needed)
• 3 pinches – Cardamom powder
• 5 pinches – Orange food color
• 1/2 cup – Water (for making sugar syrup)

Preparation method:

1. Wash and pressure cook paasi paruppu / moong dhal with enough water until soft or well cooked. Allow them to cool and grind them to a fine paste. Set aside.
2. Heat a tsp of ghee in a pan, add 2 1/2 tbsp of wheat flour and roast it until slightly golden brown in color. Set aside.
3. Heat a pan, add in 1 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water, bring it to boil and cook until sugar dissolves completely. Set aside.
4. Heat a wide pan, add a tbsp of ghee and pureed paasi paruppu / moong dhal, mix well and cook over medium flame for 2 mins. Then add roasted wheat flour and keep stirring until both blend well.
5. Now add in sugar syrup and slowly mix everything well together like a paste without any lumps. Keep stirring continuously adding ghee in intervals to avoid drying.
6. Add orange food color and mix well completely. Stir continuously until it thickens slightly. Then add cardamom powder and after 10 - 15 minutes, you will see the halwa becomes glossy, comes together and it no longer sticks to the bottom. This indicates that halwa is done (as shown in the picture). Tasty ashoka halwa is ready.

Notes:

• Always keep the flame in medium.
• Keep all the ingredients ready before start making halwa. Because you cannot move here and there while stirring.
• You should be very careful and stir it continuously otherwise the halwa get burnt and spoil your dish
• Add ghee as much you can because ghee makes the halwa more rich.
• If you want add few fried cashew nuts you can add at the last stage. 

Ashoka Halwa preparation–First video recipe