The melt-in-the-mouth halwa is a specialty of Tamil Nadu. It is ghee soaked goodness with cashew nuts. Makar Sankranti is known as Pongal in Tamil Nadu and is celebrated for four days.
Ingredients:Wheat milk (Extract): 1 cup
Sugar: 2 cups
Ghee: 3 cups
A few saffron strands
Finely chopped almonds / cashew / pista
Saffron food colouring: a few drops
Method:* Soak broken wheat (Dahlia) in water for six hours and grind well
* Place the ground wheat in a soft/muslin cloth and extract milk.
* Place overnight and allow to ferment
* Remove standing water and retain the thick extract
* Pour the thick extract and sugar into a pan; stir well
* Add one cup of boiling water and one cup of ghee. Add a few drops of saffron food colouring (optional). You could also add a few drops of lime juice to lend a slightly tangy taste.
* Keep stirring on a low flame and add the remaining ghee slowly (this process should take you one hour)
* The mixture should leave the pan which means the halwa is ready.
* The extra ghee can be removed (This is usually not removed in the case of Tirunelveli Halwa)
* Pour in a greased plate, add saffron and chopped nuts.Cut into pieces.