Makhandi Halwa Recipe: Punjab has always been a special place for those who love sweets. The dishes here not only fill the stomach but also make the heart happy. Lassi, Pinni, Jalebi, Creamy Phirni… Amidst all these, one name shines even more – Makhandi Halwa. This halwa looks simple, but its taste is so amazing that even the person tasting it for the first time asks, “How was this made?” Its most special thing is its texture, which is neither too soft nor too dry. Grains of semolina are felt in every spoon and the creamy aroma of milk gives a different pleasure. Usually in homes, semolina halwa is prepared immediately by mixing water or milk, but the preparation of makhandi halwa is a little different. In this, semolina is soaked in milk before roasting, due to which it swells and becomes soft and while cooking it gets a wonderful creamy taste. This step separates it from other halwa. Apart from this, the sweetness of this halwa is also special, because instead of adding sugar directly, it is lightly caramelized in ghee. Due to this, the color of the halwa becomes golden and the sweetness gets a deep flavor, which dissolves as soon as it goes in the mouth. If you are also thinking of making something different and wonderful sweet, then this Punjabi style Makhandi Halwa is perfect for you. It is not difficult to make it, you just have to follow some small steps properly and then see, everyone in the house will not get tired of praising it.
Ingredients for making Makhandi Halwa (for 2 people)
-Semolina: half cup
-Milk: 2 cups
-Desi ghee: half cup
-Sugar: 1 cup
-Cardamom powder: half teaspoon
-Finely chopped cashews, almonds or pistachios
Easy method of making Makhandi Halwa
-First of all, take semolina in a big bowl and add 2 cups of milk to it and mix well. Cover this mixture and leave it for 15-20 minutes. This is the most important step, because this will make the texture of the halwa wonderful.
-After this, heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan. When the ghee becomes slightly hot, add semolina soaked in milk and fry on low flame while stirring continuously. Keep in mind that the flame should not be high, otherwise the semolina may stick to the bottom and burn.
-After roasting for about 15-20 minutes, the color of the semolina will become light golden and the aroma will start coming. At this stage, turn off the gas and keep stirring it for 3-4 minutes, so that the semolina does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
-Now take another pan and add some ghee along with sugar and cook on low flame. The sugar will slowly start melting and its color will change to light brown. Keep in mind that the sugar should not be too dark, otherwise the taste of halwa may seem bitter.
-As soon as the sugar caramelizes, carefully add the roasted semolina to it and keep stirring continuously. This step demands some attention, because there is a risk of lumps forming during this, if the mixture seems a little thick then you can add some more ghee.
-Continue cooking the halwa until it starts leaving the sides of the pan. After cooking, the semolina grains swell and take on a grainy texture, which is the hallmark of this halwa.
-Now add cardamom powder and chopped nuts and mix well. If you want, you can get even richer flavor by adding some ghee on top.
serving method
This halwa tastes best when hot. You can also serve it with roti or puri, but most people like to eat it alone, if guests have come to the house or you suddenly feel like eating sweets, then everyone will like this dessert very much.
handy tips
-If you want, you can also add some saffron water or saffron milk to it.
-Keep sugar more or less as per your choice.
-The better the quality of ghee, the better the flavor.
