Moong Dal Halwa
Moong Dal Halwa
Soak and grind yellow moong dal to a coarse paste and cook slowly in copious amounts of ghee over low heat until golden and grainy. Finish with cardamom, sugar, and warm milk. Garnish with nuts.
Moong Dal Halwa is a naturally eggless dessert made with ground lentils, ghee, milk, and sugar. This traditional Rajasthani dessert, which is purely based on slow cooking, is made without the use of eggs at any stage.
The moong dal halwa is prepared on the stovetop itself and should be stirred continuously over a low flame in a heavy-bottomed pan. There is no oven or baking involved, but the process does require patience and time.
You will need yellow moong dal, ghee in generous amounts, milk, sugar, cardamom powder, and for garnish some saffron and some chopped nuts like almonds, cashews, or pistachios to give it a nice texture and a rich look.
Moong Dal Halwa remains fresh for about a week if stored in an airtight container and can be easily reheated with a little warm milk. Also, the amount of ghee in it makes it last longer than most sweets.
Rushing the roasting process results in a raw and gritty flavor of the dal instead of a nutty and golden flavor. Another common mistake is not adding enough ghee. The halwa will not caramelize properly without enough ghee and will not be as flavorful or moist.
Usually homemade moong dal halwa is made with freshly ground dal and a little more ghee, which gives it a softer texture and a more robust aroma. Store versions often skimp on the amount of ghee to save money, which affects both the flavor and the mouthfeel.
Think chocolate moong dal halwa, where Cadbury cocoa is added during the cooking process; halwa tarts filled with the mixture; or a halwa cheesecake fusion that combines the traditional dessert in a modern format.
The halwa's nutty, ghee-laden taste is not diluted by adding good-quality dark cocoa powder during the cooking process; it adds depth without clashing. Melted chocolate is used less often here, as it may interfere with the traditional grainy texture of the dish.
There is no specific brand of moong dal and ghee that makes moong dal halwa a success. Fresh moong dal and pure ghee play a big role in the success of this dish. If you are adding cocoa to make it unique, then you want to buy cocoa powder that is not sweetened.