My first recipe on this blog was Sooji ka Hulva, to mark a new beginning. Something sweet, something rich and something so tasty that it is even believed to please the Gods. Starting this blog was my way to chronicle the recipes that I have held close to my heart for long, recipes that I’ve picked up along the way on this journey of life, recipes that I have tweaked over time to adapt to the liking of my family and some recipes that are just classics and that you don’t really mess with. Hulva is one such traditional recipe. There are various kinds of hulvas that are prepared according to season, reason and occasion.
Aatte ka hulva or hulva made with whole wheat flour is true comfort food. One bite of this luscious, rich sweet concoction soothes your soul and gives the body a warm and comforting pleasure.As I have mentioned before, Dr. A is the one who prides himself in making hulva in our home so it is his handiwork. Though the recipe has been perfected by consulting my mom and Dr. A’s sister. Hey I give credit where it’s due..:P. We made it last night as Dr. A was complaining of an itchy throat. A bowl of piping hot hulva is just what the doctor ordered!
Cast of characters is similar to Sooji ka hulva, with sooji being mainly replaced by whole wheat flour. Everything that you need to make this recipe is most likely already in your pantry.
Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
Ghee – ¾ cup
Water – 2 cups
Sugar – scant 1 cup
Green cardamoms – 2 (pounded to release the seeds from the pods and the seeds ground)
Chickpea flour – 1 tablespoon (optional)
Method:
Put a heavy bottomed pan on medium high heat and start toasting the whole wheat flour (and chickpea flour if using). Keep stirring and toasting till the flour starts to change color and turns a lighter brown shade. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
At the same time, in a different sauce pan, add sugar, water, cardamoms (powder and skins) and start heating.
To the pan with toasted flour in it, add ghee and heat till its melted. Keep stirring till the flour gets further toasted and changes color to a medium brown.
Bring the water with sugar to a boil and turn the heat off. Strain with a fine mesh strainer into the pan with the roasted flour in it. Please be very careful while adding hot liquid to the pan with the flour and ghee mixture. Wear an oven mitt or ask somebody to help you with this step.
Stir the water and flour mixture with a wooden spoon. The flour will slowly absorb all the liquid and you will see that the mix will start leaving the sides of the pan and start to come together. This is the last step to tell that your hulva is ready!! So basically when the flour absorbs all the sugar syrup and leaves the sides of the pan, you have successfully made yourself a bowl of whole wheat hulva. Please feel good about it..:P.
Love – Vaishali
Tools used:
Wide, heavy bottomed pan (feel free to use a non-stick pan if you wish to)
Sauce pan
Measuring cups
Wooden spoon
Oven mitt (optional?)
Mortar and pestle (to grind the cardamoms)
Leave a Reply