Besan Ka Halwa Recipe – Best Dessert to Beat Chilling Winter

How many of you are spending your winters and still struggling to cope up with the work-from-home situation? Ladies, I have been there and still, we are catching cough and cold in this chilling weather. Well, what if there is a delicious dessert that can help you build immunity even in this unexpected weather? That is why I am here with the Besan Halwa recipe that is just perfect for your family and you.

Halwa, sheera, or whatever you name it, is undoubtedly tasty yet really good for health. Yes, most of you would be like ‘it has lots of sugar and how can it be good for health?’. I get it, but here, we are not using sugar but jaggery  which is another best thing to have sugar. 

Now, without any further ado, let’s begin with the recipe.

Ingredients For Besan ka halwa:

• 2 cups of chickpea flour (Besan)
• 1 cup jaggery  
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup of desi ghee
• 20 almonds
• 20 cashews
• Any other nuts you want to have

Method to prep the besan

• In a container, take about 2 cups of besan or chickpea flour.

• Slowly in the flour, add about 2 tablespoons of desi ghee, and mix everything nicely with your hands.

• Rub the flour between your palm to make sure ghee coats every grain of besan. It will take about 5 minutes so, do that nicely.

• Now, add about 2 tablespoons of milk at room temperature. Again, mix the flour and milk just the way you did with the ghee. Rub the flour between your palm. This will bring the grains together but not in a way you make a dough.
• Just to check, take some flour in your palm, close your fist, and open, just the way we did earlier. If the flour takes the shape of your palm, it is done.
• Now, bring the flour together and cover it with another container. Leave it for about 15 minutes to set the flour.

• Thereafter, take a strainer and strain the mixed flour using a spoon or even your hands. This process is, however, optional but it will make the flour turn out to be more refined. Also, good for the final texture of the halwa, without any lumps.

Prepare the syrup

• This is where we prepare the syrup that will help you add sweetness to your halwa/sheera.
• For this, take a pan and turn the flame on medium.
• In the pan, add about 1 cup of water and 1 cup of jaggery. You can adjust the sweetness as per your taste requirement.
• Mix everything well and allow the jaggery to melt completely. Stir the solution in between for faster melting.

• Once the jaggery is dissolved, turn off the flame and transfer the solution to a container.
• This sweetening syrup is ready to use.

Get the nuts ready

• Chop the nuts in big chunks or the way you like it. Here, I have done it in long cuts. Also, even if they’re uneven, its fine.

• In the pan, add about 1 tablespoon of ghee. Once the ghee melts, add the chopped nuts and keep the flame on low.
• Slowly mix the nuts and cook them evenly.
• Once the nuts are turned a bit golden, take them out.

• They are ready to use now.

The process to make the halwa

This is the step where your real workout will begin. Let’s see how strong your arms are. Just kidding: 

• In the pan, add about 1 cup of ghee and melt that completely.

• Once the ghee is done, add the flour you just prepared. Mix everything nicely.

• This is where you just cannot stop mixing otherwise it will stick to the bottom. So, keep stirring continuously without break.
• For first mixing, your goal should be to get rid of all the lumps so that it becomes smooth.

• After 3-4 minutes of continuous mixing, you will notice that the mixture has started creating bubbles. This is the sign that the flour is roasting with the ghee nicely.
• Don’t stop here because there is more to come. After about 9 minutes, the flour will change its color slightly. This is the sign that it is about to get done.

• Now, 15 minutes later or whenever the mixture will start leaving the side of the pan, this is the point where you would need to add the milk.

• So, add the milk and stir it faster to prevent any formation of lumps.

• Right away, add your jaggery solution and mix everything continuously.
• Mix and mix until the halwa starts separating ghee from the sides. This doesn’t happen in too much quantity but it is quite noticeable.

• Once that is done, add your cooked, crunchy dry fruits and mix everything completely.
• Voila! Besan halwa is all ready to serve.

Why besan ka halwa is so good?

We have always put forward the goodness behind ‘nani and daadi ke nuskhe’. In fact, during this whole pandemic situation, we have noticed how homemade immunity boosters have helped us. However, still what is so special about having besan ka halwa during winters? Here is what you need to know.

1. Chickpea flour is always known for its richness in minerals. Needless to say, this besan dessert will be a rich source of protein, good fats, fibers, and many vitamins. In fact, this can be a big contributor to your diet especially when you are sensitive to chilling weather like me.
2. Besan is known to be low in carbs which means if you are having any heart issues, this is your go-to dessert option. Moreover, having a low-carb meal on your plate does emphasize a healthy source of fats, carbohydrates, and protein.
3. Jaggery we are using in the recipe is a nutritious alternative to chemically made sugar that we usually get from supermarkets. So, skip white sugar and have the essential minerals you need to build strong immunity.
4. Having this besan ka halwa will not only keep you away from winter side effects but also help you in better digestion. Besides, it encourages digestive enzymes and prevents constipation.
5. Besan ka halwa mixed with rich ghee, jaggery, and dry fruits will not only make your food delicious but also these are hot naturally. So, the ingredients we are using here will bring out the heat from within to fight the cold climate outside.
6. Apart from a runny nose or cold winter, besan ka halwa is highly recommended to pregnant women. It’s not just about the taste but the qualities in this dessert, especially the richness of folate, which helps in the better structure of the fetus. All minerals and vitamins help in the better construction of the brain and spinal cord of the baby in the womb.

So, all these features make this besan ka halwa pretty good to serve your guests as well as your family members.

Conclusion

Winters are the best time of the year to snuggle with your favorite comfy blanket and have a hot bowl of halwa with dripping ghee and crunchy nuts. In most houses, gajar ka halwa or even sooji ka halwa is stapled but when it comes to beating the winter viruses and boosting immunity, besan halwa cooked in jaggery is just the perfect thing.

Hope you found this recipe good to go with. So, do give it a try and let us know how you liked it. Don’t forget to serve it to your guests and even your family members as a surprise dessert for dinner.