Ingredients

▢ 1 cup Yellow Moong Dal

▢ 1 cup Ghee
▢ 3 cups Milk
▢ 200 g Khoya (Crumbled)
▢ 1 and ½ cups Sugar
▢ 2 tsp Cardamom Powder
▢ 1 pinch Saffron
▢ 10-12 Almonds (Chopped)
▢ 10-12 Cashew Nuts (Chopped)

US Customary or Metric
Instructions

Wash and soak moong dal in water for 5-6 hours. This step is important to make
sure the nutrients in lentils are easily absorbed by the body and
they don't trouble the stomach.This step is important to make sure the nutrients in

lentils are easily absorbed by the body and they don't trouble the stomach.
Drain the water completely. Grind the dal coarsely in a bender without any water.
Be careful to not grind the dal to a smooth paste.
Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Make sure to use a non stick pan to make the
halwa. It makes the process much easier as compared to a regular pan.
Add the dal in the pan and fry it on medium heat till it turns light golden brown.
Initially, the lentils will be pasty, then after a few minutes it will become
lumpy and after a few more minutes of frying, it will become granular. It will take
at least 15-20 minutes to fry the lentils to the desired color. Do not fry it on
high heat otherwise, it will not cook properly.
Add milk and cook till all the milk is absorbed by the dal. It will take 8-10
minutes.
Add the khoya. Mix well. Skip this process if not using khoya.
Add dry fruits and mix again. Adding dry fruits at this stage makes sure they also
get fried during the process and becomes even more flavorful.
Now add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron. You can use crumbled jaggery in place
of sugar.
Cook on low heat till the halwa turns brown and starts to leave ghee from sides.
Keep stirring continuously during this process. This step will take 20-30 minutes.
Or else, fry the halwa in the microwave as my mom do. I have mentioned the process
in the tips below. Cover the pan if the halwa is spluttering too much.
Keep stirring throughout.
Serve hot.

Mediavine
Notes
This recipe is a labor of love, so repeat after me “there is no short cut to make
this recipe”. Or may be there is, Try the Instant Pot version for a quick,
smart way to make this halwa in less time and effort.

Many recipes suggest to not soak the lentils and use them directly to make the
halwa. Although this process saves some time, but eating non soaked lentils is
really not good for the tummy and none of their nutrients are absorbed by the body.
So I suggest taking some extra time and soak the lentils before making the halwa.
Roast the dal in ghee on medium heat until it turns golden brown in color. This
step takes 15-20 minutes but trusts me it makes or breaks the halwa.
Use a non-stick pan to make the halwa. It is much much easier than making it in a
regular pan.
This recipe can be easily halved, doubled or tripled.
My mom roasts the halwa after adding the sugar in the microwave. It reduces some of
her muscle work. You can also try the method. Follow the process until adding
sugar. Then transfer the halwa to a microwave-safe pan and micro for 10-15
minutes, stopping the microwave every 5 minutes and stirring the halwa. Do this
until
halwa becomes brown and ghee starts to ooze out from the sides.
Add more or less according to your taste. The amount I have mentioned suits us
perfectly.
Nutrition
Calories: 903kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat:
39g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 753mg | Fiber: 15g |
Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 545IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 586mg | Iron: 4.2mg