Tirunelveli Halwa
A legendary South Indian sweet made from wheat milk, sugar, and generous amounts of ghee, slow-cooked to a glossy perfection. It boasts a rich, translucent texture that literally melts in your mouth with every single bite.
840min
Total Time
6
Servings
Tamil Nadu
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Soak whole wheat berries in plenty of water for 12 hours until softened.
2
Grind the soaked wheat with fresh water and extract the thick white wheat milk through a muslin cloth, repeating the process three times.
3
Allow the extracted wheat milk to ferment slightly by letting it rest undisturbed for 4 hours, then discard the clear water layer on top.
4
In a heavy-bottomed iron kadhai, combine the thick wheat extract and sugar, placing it over medium heat while stirring continuously.
5
Gradually add warm ghee in small batches as the mixture thickens and starts absorbing the fat, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps.
6
Continue cooking on low flame until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and turns a rich, translucent amber color.
7
Fry the cashew nuts in a spoonful of ghee and fold them into the halwa along with freshly ground cardamom powder.
8
Transfer the hot halwa onto a greased plate or banana leaf, let it cool slightly, and serve warm.
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat berries
2 cups granulated sugar
1.5 cups pure ghee
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
15-20 cashew nuts
3 cups water for extracting wheat milk
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.