For: Nitra Chana Dal
Chana Dal Halwa
- Vegetarian
- Indian
- ⏱ 50 min
- Serves 4
A rich, festive dessert where chana dal is cooked down slowly with milk, sugar and ghee into a fragrant, glossy halwa.
Method
- 1
Cook the dal soft
Pressure-cook the soaked chana dal with a little water until very soft, then drain well and coarsely mash or blend.
- 2
Fry in ghee
Heat the ghee in a heavy pan and add the mashed dal. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 12–15 minutes until it turns a light golden colour and smells toasty.
- 3
Add milk
Pour in the milk gradually, stirring continuously to avoid lumps, and cook until it's fully absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Sweeten
Stir in the sugar and crushed cardamom, and continue cooking, stirring often, until the halwa turns glossy and pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan.
- 5
Finish and serve
Garnish with slivered almonds and serve warm.
Patience is the key ingredient here — rushing the ghee-roasting stage on high heat will scorch the dal instead of toasting it evenly.