Moong dal halwa is a popular and rich halwa recipe which is very popular in North India. This halwa is quite often made in celebratory or festive occasions like holi, marriages, Diwali etc. The main ingredient for making this halwa is moong dal powder.
You can either use the moong dal powder or soak moong dal the previous night and grind it the next day in a mixer grinder. The recipe I have shared here uses moong dal powder. I made the powder by dry roasting and grinding moong dal in the dry jar of the mixer grinder. For sweetness, instead of sugar you can also use melted jaggery. I always opt for jaggery as it is the healthier option.
Moong dal halwa is a very delicious sweet but requires lot of time, patience and energy because you will have to keep stirring the mix till it forms a halwa like consistency. Also ensure you use a good non-stick pan for this recipe so that halwa doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking and get burnt.
Well….I would say it’s worth all the effort.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Moong Dal powder, roasted
- ¾ cup Jaggery, grated
- ½ tsp. Ground Cardamom (Elaichi)
- A pinch or two of saffron (Kesar)
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Milk, low fat can also be used
- 1 tbsp. Ghee or Butter
Method
- Warm the ghee in a heavy bottomed saucepan or kadhai.
- Add the moong dal powder and fry on low to medium heat for a few minutes. The dal should change its color and turn to golden brown.
- Next add the water, milk, saffron and jaggery. Cook on low heat till all the water gets absorbed and sheera pulls together.
- Finally add the cardamom powder and mix for a few seconds.
- Top with chopped nuts and serve warm.
- This makes halwa just enough for 2-3 small servings.