Moong Dal Halwa / Ashoka Halwa

Halwa is a gelatinous-looking Indian sweet that's chewy and rich with ghee (clarified butter). It takes a bit of elbow grease to continuously stir a few simple ingredients until they come together into a blob that is really tasty despite its initial appearance in the pan. Halwa usually takes a lot of ghee to make sure it doesn't stick to the pan while cooking. Consequently, it commonly oozes with ghee and contributes to the overall taste. 

In this version, the moong beans takes significantly lesser amount of ghee and labor. This is a quick and tasty sweet that's sure to please! And it’s also a festive dessert on occasions like Diwali. 

Ingredients:

1.  1 cup Moong Dal / split yellow moong beans
2. 1/4 cup wheat flour
3. 1.5 cups sugar
4. 1/3 cup ghee / clarified butter (add more as needed)
5. handful of broken cashews
6. a pinch of saffron, soaked in a tablespoon of warm milk
7. 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Preparation:

1. Soak the moong dal for 15-20 minutes, and pressure cook with just enough water to cover an inch above it. Cook for about 4-5 whistles. Finely mash the cooked dal to a smooth paste. 
2. Mix the sugar along with the dal paste, when the dal is hot out of the cooker. The sugar will mix well and overall it will take lesser time to stir the halwa
3. In a heavy bottomed pan or kadai, heat ghee on medium heat. 
4.  When hot, add the wheat flour and cashews. Stir in (the wheat will begin to froth). 
5. When the wheat flour cooks and there is a pleasant aroma (within a minute), reduce the heat to low and add the mashed dal + sugar mixture
6. Add the saffron, and keep stirring on low heat. If the halwa sticks to the pan, add a tablespoon of ghee at a time, and keep stirring until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and forms a mass. It takes about 20 minutes or so. 
7. Finally add cardamom and stir well. Remove from heat. 
8. Transfer to a slightly greased container and smooth the halwa

Once cool, serve! 

Note: You can also add a few drops of lemon juice towards the end to ensure the halwa doesn't crystallize.