Halwa Lababdar/Moong daal Halwa /मूंग दाल हलवा ( Less fatty Moong Dal Halwa)

Halwa Lababdar

Halwa is one of the Indian desserts which is made in auspicious occasions all over India. Suji halwa and whole wheat flour halwa being most popular. Other being halwa made from Besan, Moong dal. In northern part of India Moong dal halwa is a must during marriage feast. My daughter loves it to such an extent that when she comes to my place or I am at her place I have to make it not only for her to eat at that time but to also store so that she can eat it later on.

Moong dal halwa is very high in fat and calories, but that is what is expected of the food cooked during festivals and marriages. Since this recipe is about making moong dal halwa with comparatively less ghee thus  make it in one of the festivals and enjoy with the family the rich delicate taste of Moong dal halwa.

Preparation Time: 2hrs. (90 min. soaking time and 30 min. grinding etc.)

Cooking Time: 60 min

Servings: 15 large servings

Ingredients Required For Making Halwa Lababdar :

• 250 gm. Dhuli Moong dal (split Moong dal without green cover)

• 250 gm. Ghee (clarified butter)

• 200 gm. Sugar

• 500 ml. Milk

• 10 Green Cardamom

• 15-20 Almonds

• 15-20 Cashew nuts

• 15-20 Raisins

• Water

Direction For making Halwa Lababdar :

• Wash Moong dal and soak in water for 90 min.

• Drain the water and grind the soaked Moong dal to thick paste using as little water as possible.

Paste of Moong dal

• Cut almonds and keep aside.

• Cut cashew nuts and keep aside.

• Peel 8 green cardamom and grind the seeds to make fine powder. Keep this powder in a closed container.

• Take ghee in a thick bottom wok and heat it on high flame.

Ghee being heated in wok

•  Split the remaining two cardamoms and add them to hot ghee in the wok. Lower the flame  and  cook for 1 min.

Green Cardamom in hot ghee

•  Add the paste of Moong dal and cook with continuous stirring on low flame till it changes the color to golden pink color and gains grainy and brittle texture. (It will take approximately 30 min. Ghee will start separating at this stage)

Moong dal paste  added to ghee

After 10 min. of cooking dal paste in ghee on low flame

Cooking on low flame with continuous stirring dal paste changing to grainy and brittle texture 

Dal started to get pinkish brown color after 25 -30  min. of cooking on low flame

Golden pink color cooked dal ready for sugar and milk to be added

• Add sugar and mix.

 Sugar added to fried dal paste

• Add milk immediately after adding sugar.

Milk added to dal and sugar mixture

• Cook with continuous stirring till it comes to boil.

• Once the mixture of dal, sugar, milk become uniform mixture then cover it and cook for 15 min. on low flame.

Dal mixed nicely before covering so that no lumps are left

•  Remove the cover. All liquid should be soaked by dal. Turn the cooked halwa by removing it from the edges and bottom.

After 5 min. of cooking on low flame

After 10 min. of cooking on low flame

Halwa after 15 min. cooking

• The halwa should neither be dry nor thin.

• If it is dry and brittle then add 100 ml water, mix, cover and cook for 5 min.

Halwa ready for nuts to be added

• Add cut almonds, cashew nuts and raisins.

Nuts added to halwa and to be mixed

•  Mix nicely.

• Add green cardamom powder, mix and cover. Allow it to stand covered for 5 min so that the flavor of cardamom seeps inside halwa nicely.

• Take out in a serving bowl and decorate with dry fruit.

• Serve hot.

  

  Halwa Lababdar

Tips:

• The paste of dal should be fine but thick.

• Use nonstick wok it will reduce the amount of ghee to be used to half and the paste of dal will also not stick to the bottom of wok while the paste is being cooked in ghee.

• Take whole cream milk.

• Once the ghee is hot then on wards cooking should be done on low heat (flame) only.

Suggested Variations:

• If you like the halwa to have ghee coming out from the edges of container and floating at the top like in market made halwa then increase the amount of ghee to 350 gm-400gm.

• Use nonstick wok to make halwa and reduce the ghee content to 150 gm.

• Date jaggery ( khajoor ka gud) can be used instead of sugar this will increase the nutritive value as date jaggery is rich in Iron and Vitamin C.

• Pistachio and any other nuts of your choice can be added.

• Instead pure milk, 50:50 mixture of milk and water can be added.

• Saffron can be added while adding milk and water mixture.