Channa Dhal Halwa for SNC

Channa Dhal Halwa…Just the name itself was enough to tempt me to prepare it. I have prepared moong dal halwa earlier and I was totally fell for its nutty and creamy flavor. So I knew how delicious this one would be…

This month , Kirti  of ‘Flavor’s from my Kitchen’ challenged us, the Southern team, to prepare this Halwa. The moment I saw her post, I knew I was going to make this one soon.

So what is with this challenge you might ask. Well, we are a group who love to challenge ourselves with new Indian dishes. This group was started by Divya Pramil of You too can cook and this month is the 6th edition.

The members are into two teams – The north and the South team depending on where they hail from. The members of the opposite group pose challenges each month to the other group and the challenge is to prepare and post it.
Each and everything gets points here.Like, whoever posts the first, earns extra points for the group, then there are points for posts getting most number of comments,best presentation and even for the maximum number of participants.
This is real fun for us but I wonder how Divya has been patiently ranking us!

You must check out her roundups and they are so elaborate that I amazed at the amount of work she does each month!Hat’s off to you Divya…

Now coming to this in month’s challenge, as I told you earlier, Kirti challenged the South team with Channa Dal Halwa and Swati challenged the North team with this delicious Hydrabadi Briyani.

Kirti had mentioned in her post that this recipe was from her mom and it is a traditional dish from Lucknow.

As you may be aware, lucknowi cuisine is also called the Awadhi cuisine. It is a known fact that this cuisine has a ‘Nawabi’ influence. The dishes are rich and the courses are elaborate.

Halwas are usually prepared in winter. The ghee and milk that is used in the desserts are very apt for the season and they also give a delicious end product.
With so much info in hand, I was all the more tempted to try it out.

2. Wash and drain. Pressure cook the dhal with 2 cups of water for 2 hisses.

3.Once the pressure releases, drain the excess water.

5.Melt ghee in a pan

6.Add the mashed dal and mix well. Cook till the ghee is completely absorbed .The raw smell of channa dal will disappear and a nutty aroma arises.

7.Once the mixture is dry, add half a cup of milk

8.Cook till the milk is absorbed and add the sugar.

The mixture will turn gooey again.Cook till it dries up.

9.Again add half a cup milk and cook till it is fully absorbed.

10.Add the cardamom powder.

12.Once you have used the milk in batches and the mixture come together, add chopped nuts, mix well and remove from heat.

You can serve it as such garnished with nuts or flatten it over a greased plate and cut into squares….

Note:

• Use ghee for the best tasting halwa.If you skimp on the quantity of ghee, it will not taste as delicious as it ought to be.
• I used a non stick pan and this prevented the halwa from sticking to the bottom even when I left it unattended for a few minutes while I was running behind Lil Dude. If you are using a regular pan , be sure to keep stirring it else it will stick to the bottom and will get charred.Keep the flame in the low / medium mode.
• I used pistachio nuts.You can us any nut of your choice.
• Even after adding 3 cups of milk, you cook it more and it droes up, don’t worry. Add a little more milk and mix on low flame till it combines and then remove from heat and serve.
• Don’t add the 3 cups of milk at the same time. Add in batches. If added at the same time, the halwa will not get the desired texture and will be very gooey.
• Don’t use skimmed milk.Use whole milk for a rich tasting dessert.
• Do not use a mixer to grind the dhal. If needed  just pulse it a few times. The texture should be grainy and not a smooth paste. It is best to mash it with a ladle or use your hands to mash it while the dhal is still warm.
• When I was telling mom about this recipe, she suggested I might dry
  roast the channa dal before soaking as it will give an even more tastier
  halwa. Will try it the next time.

We loved this dessert.Thanks Kirti for this sharing this wonderful dessert with us….

Bon Appetit….