Made using chickpea flour, ghee, and lots of dry fruits, besan halwa is a traditional, rich Punjabi sweet dish that is a favorite for celebrations, festivals, and pujas. It’s easy to make, comes together in 20 minutes and makes for a filling breakfast or dessert.
Halwa makes for an amazing dessert after your weekend meals, so try some other halwa recipes too – Lauki Ka Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, Suji Ka Halwa, Bread Halwa, Beetroot Halwa, Aate Ka Halwa, Carrot Halwa, and Aloo Ka Halwa.
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About This Recipe
Besan halwa is a delicious Punjabi sweet dish that is prepared using chickpea flour (besan or gram flour), ghee, sugar, and lots of dry fruits. This halwa which you can also call chickpea flour pudding is a thick, and creamy sweet that is made for weddings, special occasions, pujas, and festivals like Holi and Diwali.
Besan halwa is also considered a great dish to eat in pregnancy and for growing kids and is said to be a sure shot remedy to give comfort in severest of cold. You can make it a little thinner by adding more milk if you are planning to serve it as a medicine for cold.
Made using just 5 ingredients, besan ka halwa comes together in under 20 minutes. It is a great sweet dish to prepare when you want to make something super delicious and super quick.
This Besan Ka Halwa is,
- Delicious
- Rich & Creamy
- Easy to make
- Perfect for pujas and festivals
Ingredients
This halwa recipe needs some of the most basic ingredients, that will already be available in your pantry. These ingredients are – besan/gram flour, ghee, sugar, milk, water, and cardamom powder.
Use only ghee (clarified butter) to prepare halwa. Do not make Halwa in oil, it won’t taste good.
Adjust the amount of sugar as per your taste.
Use full fat (whole) milk for the best results. Having said that, you can use skim milk and low fat milk too.
Do not forget to add cardamom powder, as it adds a unique flavor. If you do not have cardamom powder, you can crush green cardamom seeds and add it.
Finish off the Halwa with some almond and pistachio slivers. You can also add cashews and raisins to it.
How to make Besan Halwa?
Add ½ cup ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
Once the ghee is melted, add ¾ cup chickpea flour and fry on medium heat until browned and a nutty aroma starts to come from it. It will take 10-12 minutes. Keep stirring continuously to avoid the flour from burning at the bottom of the pan.
Note – The color of the final halwa will depend on how well you have roasted the flour. You want the flour to be dark brown in color but not burn it. It goes from perfectly browned to burnt in a few seconds. So keep a close eye while roasting it.
Once the chickpea flour is browned well, add 1 cup water and ½ cup milk to the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed by the flour. Keep stirring continuously.
Once it absorbs the liquid, it will look like the image below.
Add ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cardamom powder to the pan. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes on low heat until ghee starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
Once done, garnish with almond and pistachio slivers and serve hot.
Pro Tips by Neha
Make this halwa only in ghee. Oil doesn’t taste as good. Do not reduce the amount of ghee.
Fry the besan on medium-low heat. If you fry on high heat, the besan might get burned.
Make sure to fry the besan until it turns brown and a nutty aroma starts to come. If not fried properly, the besan will taste raw.
You can replace water with milk for a richer halwa.
Storage Suggestions
This halwa tastes best when made fresh. But if you still have leftovers, you can refrigerate the halwa for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Reheat it in a pan or microwave until nice and warm. If you feel it has become a little thick while refrigerating, add in a little milk or water and adjust the consistency.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, just thaw it overnight or over the counter for a few hours. Heat in a microwave and serve.
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Recipe Card
Besan Halwa Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup ghee
- ¾ cup chickpea flour (besan)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- Almond and pistachio slivers for garnishing
Instructions
- Add ½ cup ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
- Once the ghee is melted, add ¾ cup chickpea flour and fry on medium heat until browned and a nutty aroma starts to come from it. It will take 10-12 minutes. Keep stirring continuously to avoid the flour from burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Note – The color of the final halwa will depend on how well you have roasted the flour. You want the flour to be dark brown in color but not burn it. It goes from perfectly browned to burnt in a few seconds. So keep a close eye while roasting it.
- Once the chickpea flour is browned well, add 1 cup water and ½ cup milk to the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed by the flour. Keep stirring continuously.
- Add ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cardamom powder to the pan. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes on low heat until ghee starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
- Once done, garnish with almond and pistachio slivers and serve hot.
