Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
Tirunelveli halwa
Wheat milk, ghee and caramel stirred into a glossy, wobbly, dark halwa. Tirunelveli's evening ritual.
120 minTime
2 gProtein each
mildSpice
8hPlan ahead. Soak for 8 hours first; the 120 minutes come after.
Make it your way
Grandma's wayWheat milk halwa with caramel and lots of ghee.
The original350kcalsame
2 gproteinsame
2 gfibresame
120minutessame
Classic Tirunelveli halwa.
Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table.
Ingredients
Method
5 steps- 1Grind the soaked wheat with water and squeeze through muslin to extract the milk. Grind the residue again and repeat. Rest the milk 3 hours and pour off the clear water on top.
- 2Caramelise 4 tbsp sugar with a splash of water until dark amber.
- 3Cook the wheat milk with the rest of the sugar and 2 cups water, stirring constantly, then add the caramel.
- 4Add ghee a ladle at a time, stirring until each lot is absorbed, until the halwa leaves the pan and ghee oozes out.
- 5Stir in cashews and cardamom and pour into a greased tray.
Serve it like this
Scoop a warm square onto a banana leaf piece, the traditional way, and eat with your fingers.
