Badam Halwa

பாதாம் அல்வா – Badam Halwa

Badam halwa is an Indian sweet made with whole almonds, ghee, sugar, milk and saffron. There are varieties of halwa like wheat halwa, carrot halwa, nuts halwa and fruit halwa. Badham halwa is the easiest one and takes only 30 minutes to prepare. The rich flavor of this halwa goes well for any occasions. Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamin E and magnesium. The health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss.

Ingredients for Badam Halwa

Badam/Almond – 250 g
Sugar – 250 g
Ghee – 150 ml
Milk – 150 ml
Saffron – pinch (about 40 strings)
Salt – pinch

Directions

Soak the almonds in boiling water for 30 minutes.
Remove the skin of the batham.
Grind the badam into coarse paste by adding water (about 1 cup).
Heat milk in a pan and add the almond ground paste.
Keep the flame in medium.
Add the saffron strings and mix well.
Now start adding ghee little by little.
Add a pinch of salt and mix well now.
Then add sugar little by little.
Stir the halwa continuously without leaving your hand (approximately it takes 15 minutes).
Add the remaining ghee little by little.
Stop the flame when the halwa leaves the sides without sticking.
Garnish the halwa with chopped nuts and saffron strings (optional).

Notes

Don’t grind the almonds too fine paste.
I didn’t use any artificial ingredient for color as saffron gives awesome color, taste and smell.
Follow the exact measurements (use kitchen scale) to get perfect result.
Must use salt for this recipe because that enhances the sweetness.