MANGO HALWA (MICROWAVE RECIPE)
The word ‘Halwa/Halva” seems to have an Arabic orgin,which basically means a dense sweet.These halwas are grain based,nut based or fruit based.
The foods that were born out of the influence of different lands & their culture is what makes them a memorable dish.My earliest memories of Halwa,being brought up in the Southern state of Tamilnadu,India was when as a kid I saw that any time there was a newly wed couple in the neighbourhood,there was a big fuss made about this deadly combo of halwa & Jasmine flowers,which later on I understood was similar to what Wine & Chocolate meant to the rest of the world,and yet still childhood memories stay with you for all eternity.Halwas vary by different regions,for those who are illeterate about the golden brown halwa of Tirunalveli(,in Tamilnadu ,India) affectionately called the “Tirunalveli halwa” from Iruttukadai (translated as the “dark store” that sells this halwa,which travels the globe)….well all I can say is please put it on your to do list,on things to do before you die, a spoonful of that ghee soaked,soft as silk jelly like halwa would make you feel closer to heaven’s gate literally:).In my growing up years,I also learnt about the famous “Calicut Halwa” from dear friends who I shared education, good times & great food with.This was a rubbery reddish brown halwa,oily( those days we had halwa friendly hips) which took you on a different route but nevertheless to heaven’s gate,,to break your journey I’d suggest the banana chips from the same place to catch your breath.Theyare sold all along the Railway platforms that one did not have to get down from the train to buy it( we as students made complete use of the West coast Express we travelled in).Then we met friends from the North & were introduced to” Gajar ka halwa” which was heavenly too & has lot of funny memories attached to them.Then there is this indispensable “Taj Mahal or Komals” wheat halwa from Mangalore that are the “grab & go” kinds just before you board the train,since you have a million other things to do in Mangalore before that…..but this halwa has travelled world wide too…….yup,good things come in small packets!Savoring all this halwa in my lifetime,this is my short & sweet microwave Mango halwa,made from the mangoes from Mexico which are the only ones I get here.I have heard of stories about my Grandmom stirring Halwa for a houseful of people & taking hours to do that magical sweet,here I was recovering from being sick for nearly 2 weeks( the dry heat of Summer surely has a way of announcing itself),watching the mangoes turn riper each day,I only had the energy to try some easy quick fix……Lo & behold it did turn out well,and that too in just 20 minutes, while I watched it cook itself in the microwave…..our generation is truly lucky!
Ingredients
5 5 Mangoes (only pulp)
4 tbsp 4 Brown Sugar
3 tbsp 3 Ghee
Directions
- Clean & skin the mangoes,making sure you remove all the pulp.Throw away the skin & the seed.
- Blend the mango pulp & sugar in a blender.
- Transfer the blended mix to a microwave friendly bowl & add the ghee,& microwave them for 20 minutes,stopping every 5 minutes to stir the contents,at this point you can add another tbsp of ghee if you prefer.
- Transfer it to a greased plate & top it with any dry fruit,after cutting them into desired shapes when cool.
- Relish your halwa,in minutes:)