Description
Chana daal halva is a rich and creamy Indian dessert made from soaked chickpea lentils, slowly cooked with whole milk and infused with aromatic spices like saffron, cloves, and cardamom. This comforting sweet treat is blended into a smooth paste, simmered in ghee and syrup, and garnished with chopped pistachios and almonds for a delightful texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Dal and Milk Mixture
- 400g chana daal, soaked overnight
- 750ml whole milk (or substitute with soya or almond milk)
Cooking Fats and Spices
- 2 tbsp ghee OR 1 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 6 cloves
- small pinch of saffron
Sweetener
- 340g golden caster sugar
- 100ml water (for sugar syrup)
Garnish
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
- 2 tbsp chopped almonds
Instructions
- Soak and Prep Lentils: Place the chana daal in a large bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak overnight to soften the lentils for cooking.
- Cook Lentils in Milk: After soaking, drain the dal and transfer it to a large saucepan. Pour over the whole milk and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently until the milk is fully absorbed and the dal is tender.
- Cool and Blend: Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 20-30 minutes until it reaches room temperature. Then transfer the mixture into a food processor and blend into a smooth paste, adding a splash of water if it’s too thick.
- Prepare Spiced Fat: Heat the ghee (or butter and oil) in a separate saucepan over low to medium heat. Add the crushed cardamom pods and cloves and fry briefly until fragrant.
- Cook Lentil Paste with Spices: Add the blended dal paste to the spiced fat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture turns a light brown color and develops a nutty aroma. Remove from heat.
- Make Sugar Syrup: In another saucepan, combine the golden caster sugar and 100ml water. Warm over medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely and reaches 104°C (219°F) on a sugar thermometer, producing a thick syrup. Remove from heat.
- Combine Syrup and Dal Mixture: Pour the warm sugar syrup into the spiced lentil mixture, add the pinch of saffron, and mix well until completely smooth.
- Cool the Halva: Let the halva mixture cool in the pan for about 30 minutes until it’s cool enough to handle.
- Shape and Garnish: Using your hands, shape tablespoonfuls of the halva into cylindrical shapes. Arrange them on a serving plate and scatter with chopped pistachios and almonds for garnish.
- Serve or Store: Serve the halva immediately for the best texture or allow it to cool completely and store chilled in an airtight container for up to four days.
Notes
- Soaking the chana daal overnight is essential to ensure it cooks thoroughly and blends smoothly.
- You can substitute whole milk with plant-based milks like soya or almond milk for a dairy-free version.
- If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, watch for the sugar syrup to turn thick and syrupy but not caramelized.
- The halva can be shaped in other forms such as balls or pressed into a tray to cut later.
- Ensure constant stirring while cooking the dal paste in ghee to prevent sticking or burning.
- Using freshly crushed cardamom and saffron enhances the flavor and aroma significantly.
- Prep Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Chana daal halva, Indian dessert, lentil sweet, saffron halva, cardamom cloves dessert, traditional Indian sweets
