WHEAT HALWA / GODHUMAI HALWA

The traditional way of making Godhumai/Wheat Halwa is done by soaking whole wheat, grinding it again and again to extract milk, which is very difficult. When I referred some cookery blogs, I came across the easy way of doing this halwa using wheat flour. I never thought preparing wheat halwa will be so easy, eventhough it took around 45 to 50 minutes, keeping on stirring all the way through. But this recipe needs our full attention without any disturbances.It was very hard for me to keep stirring along and click pictures. My hands started paining, but the end result made me so happy. It is somewhat a long procedure to prepare this recipe. This recipe is not much complicated but needs continuous stirring. The entire recipe should be done on low flame.

See also for Badam Halwa, Kasi Halwa, Carrot Halwa, Beetroot Halwa, Asoka Halwa

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat/Godhumai flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 cups

Ghee - 3/4 cups

Cardamom - 1/2 tsp

Cashew nut - 10

Sugar for caramelisation - 3 tsp

Saffron - 10 strands

Milk - 1 tsp

METHOD:

1. In a wide bowl, add wheat flour and knead to a dough by adding needed water as we do for chappathis.

2. Add 4 cups of water to the same bowl and soak the dough for 4 to 5 hours.

3. Heat little milk and soak the saffron strands.

4. In a big thick bottomed tawa, add little ghee and roast the cashews and keep aside.

5. Add 3 tsp of sugar and start mixing on low flame. At one stage the sugar dissolves and browning starts to appear. 

6. Switch of the stove, add little water. Don't mind if it crystallizes, when it cools down it will turn watery, which is brown in colour. Transfer it to a vessel/cup.

7. Mean while, mix the dough thoroughly with hands in the soaked water till it dissolves without any lumps. 

8. Using a strainer, strain the water and discard the left out residue.

9. Add the wheat flour milk to the same tawa, place it on the stove and start stirring.

10. Keep on stirring, till it reaches the porridge state and starts thickening. It will take approximately 7 to 8 minutes.

11. We should keep on stirring continuously, otherwise there is chance of lump formation.

12. Add saffron milk, caramel sugar syrup mix well for a minute.

13. Add sugar, and keep on stirring. At first it will turn watery and then starts to bubble.

14. At first small bubbles starts to appear. Add 2 tsps of ghee and mix well.

15. The ghee gets fully absorbed while stirring and looks more transparent.

16. Just add ghee then and there and mix continuously for 15 to 20 minutes.

17. Slowly it reaches a glossy texture after some more time  and comes together.

18. Add roasted cashews and cardamom powder and mix well.

19. Grease a bowl/plate with little ghee and transfer the Halwa.

20. Tasty and delicious Wheat Halwa is ready. 

Note:

• I used anodised kadai, which was very helpful.
• Better to use non stick kadai, since the end result can be reached easily.
• I decided to avoid food colour and added caramel sugar. If found difficult, a pinch of food colour can be added. But, it is advisable  to avoid artificial colours.
• Add ghee in regular intervals. 
• Always it is safe to do this recipe on low flame.
• The wheat flour milk should not be thick to fasten cooking process. 
• It should be thin to avoid raw smell of the flour