Beetroot Halwa is quick and easy to prepare.This sweet pudding apart from the beets itself also has the goodness of condensed milk and richness of cashews making it a perfect treat to serve on any special occasion.
In India, it is customary to make halwa to celebrate any occasion be it festivals or celebrations for a particular occasion.
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What is Halva/Halwa?
“Halva is any of various dense, sweet confections made in the Middle East, Central and South Asia. It is also served in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, Malta, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and in the Jewish diaspora.”
In India, it is represented by a sweet pudding with runny consistency, either flour based or nut based using various vegetables in the mix.
History of Halva
The first known written halvah recipe appeared in the early in the 13th century Arabic, Kitab al-Tabikh (The Book of Dishes).
The Mughal influence in India perhaps had brought this sweet dish to the Indian subcontinent, needless to say it is a popular and favorite sweet prepared during festivals and celebrations.
Types of Halva
“In global, popular usage it means “desserts” or “sweet“, and describes two types of desserts:
1.Flour-based : This type of halva is slightly gelatinous and made from grain flour, typically semolina/cream of wheat (suji– India). Its primary ingredients are ghee/clarified butter , flour, and sugar.
2.Nut butter-based :This type of halva is crumbly and usually made from tahini (sesame paste) or other nut butters, such as sunflower seed butter. Its primary ingredients are nut, butter and sugar.
Halva may also be based on various other ingredients, including beans, lentils and vegetables such as carrots, pumpkins, yams and squashes.
How long can we store Beetroot Halva?
Choosing the right beetroot, storing and preparing it is important, irrespective of which dish you are planning to make with the beetroot.
Beetroot Halva can be kept at room temperature with little risk of spoilage. However, during hot summer months, it is better kept refrigerated, as it can turn runny after a few days.”
The motivation to try making Beetroot Halwa
Summer break is almost coming to an end, wanting to include healthy vegetables in the menu, I think of creative ways to use them in my recipes.
Since Beetroot Poriyal/stir- fry was not a favorite lunch time menu at our home, I wondered what else I could do to use those large beets , that I had bought from the fresh market a few days ago.
When mom sets her mind to feed the kids healthy food there is no stopping her. Beetroot halwa it is!
Thus evolved the Beetroot halwa/Dessert, still holding its nutritious value but taking a different form to present itself on the table, needless to say the number of servings increased.
What was the occasion to celebrate, you ask .Let’s just say, its summertime You don’t need to make excuses to have desserts/sweet pudding /Halwa any time of the day, do you ?
Did somebody say, Beetroot Halwa here ?
Beetroot Halwa Recipe
Beetroot Halwa
10
minutes20
minutes1491
kcal30
minutesIngredients
2 2 Beetroot pureed
1 1 tin Condensed milk
A few A few Cashew nuts
2 tbsp 2 Ghee/Purified butter
1 cup 1 Milk
Directions
- Warm the ghee is a thick bottomed vessel. To this add the nuts & gently roast them to a golden brown.
- Now add the grated or pureed Beetroot into the warm ghee & stir a bit, till it is dehydrated and looses all moisture & gets crunchy & thicker.
- Add the milk to this & stir well , allowing it to come to a boil. Let the water in the milk evaporate, keep the lid uncovered thus also allowing the beet to cook well & become soft & mushy.
- When the consistency gets thicker, add in the sweetened condensed milk, keep stirring, so it does not stick to the bottom of the vessel.
- When the required consistency is acquired ( personal preference- some like it soupy, some prefer a gel like consistency ) stop stirring & remove from flame.
- Grease a pan or plate with ghee, pour in the slightly cooled halwa & allow it to set for a few hours, if you want to cut it into pieces & serve.
- If not, you can serve it right away while it is still warm.You can sprinkle some cashew pieces on top for decorative purpose and also to give that nutty crunchy feel in between.
- Refrigerating, to use later, will make the halwa a little thicker, either way the taste is good, warm or cold. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ice cream and Halwa go well together
Nutrition Facts
- Amount Per ServingCalories1491
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 43g 67%
- Saturated Fat 26g 130%
- Cholesterol 159mg 53%
- Sodium 736mg 31%
- Potassium 2324mg 67%
- Total Carbohydrate 239g 80%
- Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
- Sugars 239g
- Protein 42g 84%
- Vitamin A 30%
- Vitamin C 22%
- Calcium 143%
- Iron 11%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
List of some of my festive food from India
Check out some of my other sweet dishes, prepared during festivals or during celebrations.Click on any of the sweet dishes below to be taken to my blog post directly.
- Mango Halwa
- Banana Halwa/Fudge
- Palada Pradhamam
- Nectarine Sheera
- Doodh peda
- Date Fig Laddoos
- Strawberry coconut rava laddoos
- Sweet Modaks
- Nan-Katai/Indian Biskoot
- Sakkarai Pongal
- Beetroot Halwa
Summertime is also perfect for trying a beetroot detox juice
The Bottom Line
Hope you give this healthy veggie a try in your recipes this summer be it in a sweet dish like Beetroot Halwa or in a detox juice.
Share your feedback in the comments below.
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