Halwa making can be very intimidating for many, and I was one of them. It took me quite a while to get over my fear and start making halwa. I have to thank my husband for motivating me to make this Bombay Karachi Halwa. He loves this chewy corn flour halwa loaded with cashew nuts and that was when I first made this. After the success of this Bombay Halwa, I ventured into many different halwa recipes and had quite a success with them. This Diwali, I have been updating a few of my old posts with better pictures and this is one recipe that I made. I also took a video of the recipe for easy understanding. Make sure to scroll down and check out the video to make this delicious and chewy Karachi Halwa.
Stove Top or Microwave?
Initially, when I first made this recipe, I used the microwave to make it entirely. It works for smaller quantities, but I feel the texture of the halwa is much more firmer and chewier when made on a stovetop. It is a very quick recipe and it comes together fairly quickly. We just have to make sure that we are constantly stirring the halwa when making it to avoid sticking to the vessel. Also, the end texture is fairly easy to recognize in this halwa as you will see the Bombay halwa turning really glossy and shiny when ready. Again, do check the video to see the texture.
Corn Flour Vs Corn Starch
This is a big confusion when making this Bombay Karachi Halwa. We need to use very smooth corn flour and it goes by different names in different parts of the world. In India, it is called corn flour, but make sure you buy a really fine variety. The coarse variety will not work for this Karachi Halwa recipe. In the US, you have to shop for cornstarch. Corn flour is the coarser kind and the corn starch is the smoother variety. Do not reduce the quantity of the ghee in the recipe as that is what makes the halwa glossy. The lemon juice gives the halwa a slightly tangy flavor and also helps in giving a great texture to it. You could ass any nuts of your choice. I stuck to using just cashews as that is what my husband wanted. Preparation time – 10 minutesCooking time – 20 minutesDifficulty level – easy
Ingredients to make Bombay Halwa – Makes about 20 pieces
Corn starch – ½ cup Sugar – 1 ½ cups Water – 2 ½ cups Lemon juice - 1 tsp Food coloring – a pinch )optional) Cardamom powder – less than ½ tsp Ghee – 5 tablespoon plus a little to grease the plate Cashew nuts - 8-10 (broken into tiny pieces)
Procedure to make Corn Flour Halwa –
Grease a 8-inch pan with ghee and keep it aside.
Chop the cashew nut into small pieces and keep aside. This recipe uses raw cashews but if you prefer roasted ones, go ahead and roast some and use in the halwa.
In a bowl, combine the corn starch, 1 ½ cups of water, and food coloring and whisk it well to dissolve completely. Make sure that there are no lumps in the mixture. Using a whisk really helps in mixing it together to form a lump-free batter.
In a pan, add the sugar and the remaining one cup of water and bring it to a boil. Once the syrup boils vigorously, add the lemon juice and mix. Let the syrup boil for a minute more to thicken slightly. There is no specific consistency that we need to watch for. Just boil until it is slightly thick and syrupy.
Now slowly pour the prepared cornstarch mixture and mix well. Make sure to keep mixing as it will start to thicken in the bottom right away.
Keep mixing and once the halwa thickens slightly, add a tablespoon of ghee and mix until the halwa absorbs it.
Now add the cashew nut and the cardamom powder and mix well.
At regular intervals, keep adding the ghee and cooking the Karachi Halwa, until it all comes together as a lump.
You will notice that by the time we use all the ghee, the halwa has become very glossy and it no longer takes in the ghee as readily as before.
This is the stage we need to pour the halwa into the prepared pan.
Once you pour the halwa, smooth the top and let it set for at least an hour.
Once the Bombay Karachi Halwa has set, invert it onto a tray and cut it into desired size pieces.
Other Halwa Recipes
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