moong dal halwa ~ பாசி பருப்பு அல்வா

I completely lost track of blogging. Since i felt i was so obsessed with blogging and checking comments, likes, etc. I thought of staying away for a while. also i had to tutor my son. which left me no time to to revive blogging. but i always  think of what to cook , what props to buy, i even have a lot of drafts pending :) also blame my laziness! Now after a while, when i want to resume, blogging, as gone way ahead, i cant even figure out how much i missed and and how much i am lagging.

Diwali is just a week away and this Diwali 2016 is very special for us because its our Anniversary too. Our son is very much expecting 29th October:) Since its Double Dhamakha, I wanted to make the blog buzzing with sweets:-)

This Monng Dal Halwa is so simple, it does not need any technique like sugar syrup string consistency. Its Healthy sweet too. Only Guilt part was using White Sugar, which you can substitute with Brown sugar or Cane Sugar. This Moong Dal halwa will not be gooey in texture, it should be grainy and yet very soft in its texture. It should be with just enough sweetness. 

 Moong Dal Halwa  Recipe 

Soaking time - 5 hours

Cooking time - 45 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients:

• Moong Dal - 1/2 cup 

• Sugar - 1/2 cup

• Hot Milk - 1 cup

• Ghee - 1/4 cup

• Saffron few strands

• Pistachios to garnish

• Silver Leaf to Garnish

Method:

Wash the moong dal for at least three times. Soak the moong dal with water just to level the dal gets immersed in water. Soak Dal for about 5 hours.

Grind the soaked dal with very less water into a smooth paste.

Soak saffron strands in 1 tbsp of warm milk. Chop the pistachios to garnish.

Heat a pan, add 1/4 cup ghee, When the ghee gets hot, add the grounded moong dal paste to the ghee, slowly stir the paste in ghee, soon the ghee gets absorbed and you need to stir in slow flame for about 20 minutes till the moong dal slightly gets roasted. you will know it, as the raw smell goes off, moong dal gets roasted in ghee.

Now add hot milk to the moong dal, stir slowly.  make sure the flame is at low. then add the sugar to the pan and stir. Add the saffron soaked in milk to the pan ans stir well. Now your Kitchen should smell amazing:)

Keep stirring the halwa for about 5-10 minutes, when the halwa comes together into a mass. make sure the halwa don't get so thick. If you stir for extra time, halwa becomes tight and loses its perfect soft texture.

Switch off the flame. Garnish with pistachios and silver leaf. Serve warm. It tastes divine when halwa is warm.

Notes:

• Store halwa in fridge as it has milk in it. you can refrigerate and have within 2 or 3 days
• Use cane sugar or brown sugar for healthier option.
• Milk added to the halwa should be hot, else the the texture of halwa changes.
• Grounded moong dal should roasted in ghee for about 20 - 25 minutes.
• After adding milk and sugar, just make sure the halwa comes together. do not keep stirring too much, as the texture changes.
• I skipped adding cardamom powder, you could add it.