Kozhikodan Halwa

Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat starch
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup ghee
• Cardamom
• Cashews
• Raisins
• Food colour optional

Method

1. Prepare wheat starch: In a bowl, mix 1 cup wheat flour with enough water to make a loose dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Place in a bowl of water and knead again — the starch will wash out, leaving a sticky gluten mass. Drain the starchy water and keep it.
2. Alternative easy method: Soak 1 cup wheat starch (available in Indian stores as godhumai mavu or use cornflour as substitute) in 2 cups water for 30 minutes.
3. Prepare jaggery syrup: Heat 2 cups powdered dark jaggery with 1 cup water in a pan until dissolved. Strain through a fine sieve to remove impurities. Return to pan.
4. Add wheat starch: Slowly pour the wheat starch liquid into the jaggery syrup while stirring constantly over medium heat.
5. Add ghee: Add 4 tbsp ghee at this stage and mix well.
6. Cook and stir: Stir continuously on medium-low heat. The halwa will begin to thicken after 10-15 minutes.
7. Keep stirring: This stage requires patience and continuous stirring — up to 30-40 minutes of cooking. The mixture will turn from liquid to a thick, glossy, dark brown paste.
8. Add more ghee: Add another 3-4 tbsp ghee in stages as the halwa thickens. The ghee gives Kozhikodan halwa its signature gloss.
9. Test consistency: The halwa is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pan cleanly and the mixture is dark, thick and glossy.
10. Garnish and set: Add 1 tsp cardamom powder and fried cashews. Pour into a greased tray. Cool completely before cutting into pieces. The dark, chewy halwa is the pride of Kozhikode.