Moong dal halwa recipe

Moong dal halwa recipe

Moong dal halwa recipe with step by step instructions given below; a popular and rich halwa recipe from north India. Moong dal halwa is usually made on celebratory or festive occasions like holi, diwali, marriages etc.

INGREDIENTS FOR PREPARING MOONG DAL HALWA

Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml

main ingredients:

• moong dal : 1 cup or spilt husked yellow mung lentils
• ghee/clarified butter  : 9 to 10 tbsp
• cardamoms : 4, husked and powdered in a mortar-pestle or ¼ to ⅓ tsp cardamom powder
• unsalted pistachios : 10-12, sliced or chopped or 10-12 blanched almonds, sliced
• golden raisins  : 1 tbsp
• to be mixed together:
• full fat whole milk : 1 cup
• water : 2 cups
• organic unrefined cane sugar or regular sugar : 1 or 1.25 cups

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING MOONG DAL HALWA

1. Soak moong dal or mung lentils, in sufficient water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Drain and then grind the moong dal to the smooth paste with ¼ or ⅓ cup water.
3. Melt ghee in a non stick pan. add the ground moong dal. stir well
4. Keep on stirring the halwa on The low to medium flame. The  halwa has the raw aroma of moong lentils and it should go away completely before you start with the next step. so till then you have to stir and cook the halwa. the halwa first is pasty, then starts getting lumpy and then starts breaking down and getting separated with the fat releasing from the sides. break the lumps while stirring.
5. meanwhile when the halwa is cooking, in another pan or kadai, take milk, water and sugar. keep this pan on the stove top and stir so that the sugar dissolves. On a low or medium flame, heat this milk-water-sugar mixture till it comes to a boil.
6. The moong dal mixture should reach a rough consistency before you add the hot milk mixture. you should get a fried aroma from the mung lentils and the color should become a light golden. the fat also should get separated.
7. When the milk mixture comes to a boil, add it to the fried mung lentils.
8. The mixture sizzles, so be careful while adding the hot milk and water mixture.
9. Stir well. Simmer and cook stirring frequently.
10. The liquid should get absorbed and once again you will see the ghee getting separated.
11. Lastly add cardamom powder, chopped pistachios and raisins.
12. Serve moong dal halwa hot. you can also garnish with some pistachios and serve.
13. The whole process takes a lot of time and work from the hands. You have to stir and stir and stir continuously until we dish out from the flame.

NOTES

•  1 cup sugar is just sweet which we prefer. for more sweetness you can add 1 or 2 tbsp more of sugar or add ¼ cup sugar extra.
• The recipe can be halved or doubled.

Photo credit: asiansupper / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA