Moong Dal Halwa/Barfi

Oh my God! Maintaining a blog is really a bit stressful. The temptation to try out various dishes and to add them in the blog can be really too much. These days I just watch videos and read recipes and think of my blog most of my waking hours. My stitching and house cleaning is surely getting neglected. Taking pictures, sorting them (though I know I am not too good or professional in clicking pictures), uploading them, typing out recipe, trying to make the

recipe look interesting and to add a background story for each post takes time. No, no. I am not complaining and I am enjoying it to the core 🙂

I hadn’t made any sweets for this Diwali, because of our own reasons. But I had to return back some of our neighbour’s dabbas. So I had to make something and give them. I have been thinking of trying out this moong dal halwa since last few days. But as I always say, my family is not a big fan of sweets, so I always hesitate to make anything sweet. But these days, I secretly wish to try out as much sweets as possible atleast once, so that I can share it in the blog. How I wish I had a big extended family close by or lot of friends with whom I can share my goodies. However, I was pleasantly surprised when hubby ate an entire bowl of sizzling hot moong dal halwa last evening.

I have realised that this tastes more delicious when served hot. Please do not refrigerate it and serve cold. I tried to set it in a tin and cut out pieces like barfi. But if you ask me, the halwa version tastes better. Yes, this requires a generous amount of ghee. But then Indian sweets are always know for it’s richness, right? However, you can always cheat a bit and reduce a spoon or so. Please ensure that you add freshly ground cardamom powder. It surely enhances the taste and flavour. Saffron strands lends it a beautiful colour and gives it a rich fragrance. Moong dal halwa is one of the most popular desssert in any North Indian marriages.

Few things to be kept in mind. Do not grind the moong dal into a very smooth paste. The addition of semolina and besan in the beginning prevents the mong dal from sticking on to the bottom of the pan. Always cook and fry it in low to medium flame. Keep stirring constantly and add sufficient water and cook well. If you feel that the water given in the recipe is not sufficient for the moong dal to cook properly, keep adding hot water to it spoon by spoon and cover and cook. If you want it more sweeter, increase the amount of sugar by a spoon or two.

Ingredients:

• Moong dal 1/2 cup
• Semolina 2 tsp
• Besan/chickpea flour 2 tsp
• Sugar 1/2 cup
• Ghee 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder 1 tsp
• Almond slivers 1/2 cup
• Chopped pista 1 tbsp
• Saffron/Kesar a big pinch

Method:

• Wash and soak moong dal for atleast 2-3 hours. Drain and grind into a coarse paste. Do not add water.

• Heat ghee and add the semolina and besan and cook for 2 minutes.

• Now add the ground moong dal paste and cook on low to medium flame for 12-15 minutes. The ladte should turn slightly light brown in colour and the ghee will separate out.

• Meanwhile add around 3/4 cup of water into half cup sugar and cook till the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the saffron strands into the sugar solution.

• Once the moong dal is fully roasted add the sugar solution.

• Stir and cook till the entire water is dried off. Add the almond slivers and fold.

• Incase you feel the moong dal hasn’t cooked well, add few spoons of boiled water and cover and cook.
• Once it looks fully done, add some chopped pistachios and serve hot.

• Incase you want to shape it like burfi, grease an aluminium tin or glass bowl and set the mixture into it. Sprinkle some more and slivers and allow it to cool.

• Cut into squares and serve.