Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Thirunelveli Halwa

Thirunelveli also called Nellai is an ancient city in South of Tamil nadu, situated on the banks of the river Tamirabarani.I guess everyone in South India will be familiar with the famous Thirunelveli Halwa/Wheat halwa sold at Iruttu kadai (meaning dark shop) in Thirunelveli
This is one of my favourite sweet and I was lucky enough to have friends in Thirunelveli who used to get for me from Iruttu kadai often during my college days.

I bookmarked this recipe from this video.Here they have explained how they make this halwa at Thirunelveli.I just followed this recipe with only one change.I reduced the amount of sugar alone.It took almost 3 hours for me to make this halwa.I would say this almost tastes close to Thirunelveli Halwa so it is worth the effort.Also I was amazed with the yield.1 cup of wheat can yield more than 1/2 kg of halwa

Thirunelveli Halwa

Ingredients
Wheat : 2 cups (approx 450gms)
Sugar: 7 cups
Water: 12 cups
Cardomom powder: 1/2 tsp
Ghee: 3 cups


Procedure:
Step1:
Soak the wheat is sufficient amount of water for 8 hrs

Step2:
Grind the wheat with some water and extract the wheat milk
To get the milk, grind the wheat in mixie/blender for 5 minutes and filter out the milk.
Grind the wheat with fresh water again and filter.Repeat this atleast 3 times

Step3:
Allow the milk to ferment overnight

Step4:
In the morning , you will find that the thick milk has settled at the bottom and the clear liquid on top.Discard the clear liquid. I got approximately 3.5 cups of milk
Note: If you are able to extract more milk, adjust the quantity of other ingredients accordingly

Fermented milk
After clearing the liquid on top

Step5:
In a wide non stick pan, pour this milk and add 12 cups of water and mix well
Mixed with water

Step6:
Cook in a medium flame and keep stirring once 3 -5 minutes.After 1 hour, the mixture starts to thicken

Step7:
At this point add sugar and keep on stirring

Step8:
Once it reaches semi solid stage, add ghee little by little and keep on stirring.After another 1 hour or so, the ghee will start oozing out.The halwa will look transparent as well.When you take the mixture in the laddle, it should slide and not stick to the laddle
The ghee will really start oozing out at the last stage. I recollected more than 1/4 cup of ghee once I was done with the Halwa

Step9:
Add cardomom powder and fried cashews and switch off the flame
About to be done.Still sticky
Almost done.The halwa has to slide from the spoon.Should not stick


Adding color to Halwa

  1. Heat 3 tsp of ghee
  2. Add 2 tsp of sugar and keep stirring until the sugar starts melting and starts caramelizing
  3. At one point (within a minute or two), the ghee starts changing color to brown
  4. Pour this to the Halwa mixture and you will get the required color naturally

Heat ghee and sugar
Add it to the halwa

This will become more darker once the halwa is done
Tips:

  1. If you want to try this halwa for the first time, cut the recipe by half.Use only 1 cup of wheat.The yield is really huge.So 1 cup will be more than enough for a family
  2. Use a good quality triply stainless plan so that it is easy to stir 
  3. I got only 3.5 cups of milk from 2 cups of wheat.If you extracted properly with good squeezing and grinding more than 3 times, you may get even more.In that case increase the other ingredients accordingly
  4. Do not add any artificial colors.You may not get the color naturally when you are making with less quantity.However use the above tip to bring the color
  5. I have made this halwa several times.It stays fresh for almost 10 days. and more than 2 weeks when refrigerated. Best when served warm.


Thirunelveli Halwa





Thirunelveli Halwa

108 comments:

  1. Wow .. looks so yummy. Nice step by step pictures.

    Vardhini
    VardhinisKitchen

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  2. Really very tasty halwa it is. I have already tested it before, from my south Indian (tamil Nadu)Colleague.

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  3. Aahh..this is a mouthwatering halwa...my husband is from T'veli and I make sure to buy this whenever we visit there...but its such a long process that never thought of making it at home...your step by step instructions and pictures are very helpful.

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  4. Yumm..This sure is a very laborious process. I will try this and see if I can shorten the time needed to cook it :)

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  5. Wow.. That is one yummy dessert you have there. I'm sure the 3 hours spent in making it was well worth the effort. Looks absolutely delicious.

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  6. wow- my hubby n me have the softest spot for this halwa and this looks yummylicious ! kudos on a nice effort

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  7. wow its so tempting! my friends used to get it for me when i was in college :)

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  8. WOW....I love tirunelveli halwa..I thought that it could be found only in that place..but now we can make it in home..Thankyou so much for the recipe will definetly try this

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  9. Delicious halwa....kudos to u to make it at home!!

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  10. Great step by step recipe... Looks like store bought halwa dear...

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  11. Wow...looks delicious...Kudos for the great effort to make it at home....

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  12. Very different prep of wheat halwa, very very interesting. I have to bookmark and try it out. Thanks for linking it to our event.

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  13. This is totally a new halwa for me. Your step wise instructions and photo is so helpful.

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  14. wow..mouthwatering halwa..tedious process,but a good effort too!!!

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  15. This one looks similar to the original thirunelveli halwa which we get only there.yummy and awesome halwa.too coooooollllllllllll

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  16. That is a lengthy process! I guess it was worth the time and effort put into it.. Looks delicious!

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  17. That sounds and looks superb, I am going to bookmark it :)
    Thanks a lot for linking to bookmarked event :)
    US Masala

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  18. Oh my my I love this Halwa and am drolling over the pictures right now.

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  19. my fav one..really looks exactly like store bought...i am drooling over here...so tempting...well explained with pictures...very great job...n thanx for your lovely words at my space...happy to follow you :)

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  20. What a superb effort! I would love a katori of that yum - plzzz :)

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  21. wow..my aunty in tirunelveli used to get me these halwa..they r just yummy.!!
    nice explanations and delicious halwa..good effort dear..following u..drop at my space as time permits..

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  22. Wow wat a wonderful looking glossy halwa, great job Shylaja...very tempting..

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  23. wow..suoerb halwa..never knew that we can make halwa at home that too so easily...bookmarked it dear, wuill try this sometime..:)

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  24. WoW! WHat an Halwa! The best I have ever seen of this kind! Yummy-licious!

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  25. Shylaja, Thirunelveli halwa looks super, Nice pictorials.

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  26. delicious halwa.perfect for me.

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  27. I am from South but never heard the name. Seems like a popular one in Tamilnadu. :)
    I posted a wheat halwa recipe (which is our version ofcourse) with slight variations last month.And so I know how delicious this must have been. Worth all that time and efforts.

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    Replies
    1. never say your from Tamil Nadu.

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  28. So delicious and very perfectly done !!

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  29. I'm drolling here. and hats off to your patience for waiting 3 hours to make this. But the end result is too good

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  30. You have explained it beautifully and in a clear step by step demo! hats off and the hlawa looks perfectly tempting! Reminds me of Thirunelveli Iruttukadai Halwa!

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  31. What a unique halwa! I've never seen a dark one, but it sounds and looks so delicious.

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  32. Had this halwa ages ago when I visited temples down south with my grandparents.. Always thought it was exotic :-) I am sure the most anyone would need with this is sheer muscle power to keep stirring..
    If I am not wrong, isnt a little maida added to this??

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  33. Delicious halwa! Very well explained..

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  34. Perfect & lovely step by step pics..Bookmarked it..

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  35. Wow! mouthwatering halwa...the texture looks so perfect....

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  36. Super tempting!!! I want to have it now :-) Nice step by step explanation. Book marked!!

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  37. Wow, looks fantastic ... Great work. You have a nice blog out here. Thanks for visiting me and for your nice words :)

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  38. Wav,delicious Halwa.Looks so tasty,i will try..

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  39. I too tried this halwa & posted in my blog. do visit at ur free time. urs is looking gr8 with step by step pics :)

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  40. I love thirunelvelli halwa.... I am drooling looking at the pictures :-)

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  41. Delicious Halwa , thanx for sharing clearly step by step, I will surely try this.

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  42. This looks very perfect and exact! I'd have a spoon!

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  43. Never had anything like this before..looks great and yummy..love the step by step pics..hats off to ur patience and effort. Loved the first photo. I just wish I could grab it out of the photo and savour it. Delish!

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  44. You have the art and patience for cooking my dear lady!! :P hats off to ur effort to make this wonderful halwa, I love it and get it bought whenever there is a visitor from T'velli :P
    Would love to visit u often :P

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  45. Awesome, lots of work...but still worth it. Love this halwa to the core, ur version is absolutely authentic, a must try one.

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  46. hmmm...it looks great......wanna grab it and have....:)

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  47. Halwa makes me drool. Excellent and love the step by step pictures.

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  48. Just a few days back I read about this 'irutu kadai' halwa. Heard they are the best in the feild. Your halwa looks equally tempting. Step by step pics are surely helpful. Good one...

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  49. ooooh. I love tirunelveli halwa but have never dared to try this at home. Lovely pictorial.I am bookmarking this too:-)

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  50. Wow....looks yummmmmmmmmmmm! :P
    Don't have the patients or ingredients to make it! Better I can come to your place to taste it! ;)

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  51. Delicious!buy my mom works hard in kitchen.I wanna thank her.thankyou mom.

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  52. very nice & clear steps.i tried without fermented milk.it was nice.

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  53. I thought they used gud/vellam instead of sugar!

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  54. I thought they used vellam/Gud/jaggery instead of sugar ! can you clarify?
    using jaggery explains the dark colour !!

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    Replies
    1. @GomathiSundaram, As per the video link, it says sugar.
      The dark color is obtained by the combination of sugar and ghee and long cooking time.
      I have given a tip in this post to obtain this color even if we prepare in small quantities.

      I know in Tanjore there is a kind of wheat halwa prepared using jaggery. I am not completely sure on the recipe though.

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  55. Also in south India we use chemba wheat for making halwa! I don't know what is it called !

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  56. Also in south India we use chemba wheat for making halwa! I don't know what is it called !

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  57. O! WOW WAS A BEAUTIFUL HALWA WAS IT.I LIKED IT AND I DAILY HAD IT AS BREAKFAST.I WAS VERY HAPPY TO EAT TIRUNELVELI HALWA.NEVER I WILL NOT FORGET THIS RECEIPE.

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  58. really very tempting...have a doubt did u use wheat grains or wheat powder (like pilsbury, ashirwaad)

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  59. Hi, Thansks for giving a wonderful recipe. I tried making this. Since you had mentioned "it should slide from the spoon and not stick to it", I was stirring for a long time and now the halwa became hard!! It sticks to the mouth. Can you tell me if there is anyway to rectify it?
    Thanks in advance.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Aruna,

      Thanks for visiting. If the halwa already became very hard, you can slightly heat it in microwave just before serving.
      Did the ghee separate out while you were stirring?

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    2. ok let me try. Yes, the ghee did separate but the halwa was sticking to the spoon. Thats why I was continuing with my stirring :-)))

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  60. Thank you so much for the recepie. It really tasted well. I have tried many times this dish but never was it satisfactory. I'm happy that I tried out this recepie. Thanks

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  61. Hi

    the step by step receipe is so good,it is absolutly fascinating, i am going to try tommorrow,fingers crossed.

    i have seen other receipe the make sugar syrup first then add wheat milk ,u have made it reverse, can u clarify why it is done like that.just wanted to know wht difference it makes.u r reply at the earliest is highly appreciated .


    regards
    Meena

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    1. Hi Meena,

      My grandma used this to make Godhumai Halwa using sugar syrup. But I followed the recipe from the video that I have linked. The recipe was from the shop owner from Thirunelveli.

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  62. hi
    i tried it , it was so yum and lovely , so happy and elated that i was able to make it and we enjoyed for this diwali .Thanks for the step wise photo and lots of extra tips which helped me to understand and make it .thanks again.Wishing you too a very happy diwali

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    1. Hi Meena,

      Glad that you liked it.Homemade sweets are always great.Wish you a happy Diwali!

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  63. what kind of wheat

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  64. It is the normal whole wheat.i will try to post the picture tomorrow

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  65. what do they call it in Tamil, or english

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  66. Nice step by step pics. I usually follow the same method...except I take the easier way out and make it in the wheat rawa.

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  67. Nice step by step pics. I usually follow the same method...except I take the easier way out and make it in the wheat rawa.

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  68. Nice step by step pics. I usually follow the same method...except I take the easier way out and make it in the wheat rawa.

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  69. Replies
    1. Hi Suriya. I have never tried with dalda. i checked with my mom. She said she has tried once replacing half of the ghee with refined sunflower oil. So for the above measurement you can use 1.5 cups of ghee and 1 cup of oil.

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  70. Hii great recipe. How to get like neyyi Uranji varum pakkuvam like on top of thirunelveli halwa ? I already tried this recipe the outcome was excellent. The ghee was on top but not sugared. Planning to make again, pls reply.
    - Cappu.

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    1. Glad that it turned out well for you.
      I usually get the ghee sugared the next day when it is completely cooled.Also it depends on the room temperature.

      If you refrigerate the halwa (Usually I don't. This halwa stays well for almost a week), the ghee solidifies as well.

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  71. Hii waiting for your reply
    - Cappu

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  72. so yummy thanks for your recipe and pictures i will try it soon

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  73. Hi, tried ur recipie...it came out yummy n perfect...Gr8 job and Tanq!

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  74. I was searching for wheat halwa and found this site. Very good explanation. Thanks for the recipe.

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  75. so delicious,with very good presentation

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  76. superb, i've try this . its nice thank u for the wonderful receipe.

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  77. Thanks for your Yummy Recipie......InSha'Allah I'l try dis

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  78. hi, i want to make dry fruit halwa,in what stage we need to mix the dry fruits(figs,prunes,dates,raisins), and do we need to roast the nuts(cashew,badam,walnuts,sunflower seeds, pistatio etc?,
    luv your recipe wish to do for diwali!,

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  79. Hi,

    You can add dry fruits and nuts just after step 8
    You can roast the nuts and then add it.
    Do try this for Diwali.Good luck to you

    Shylaja

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  80. Thanks for the recipe.. My first ever halwa and everyone loved it..

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Glad that you liked it. Happy Diwali to you

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  81. Hi, I got the wheat milk (Step 2) and allowing it to ferment. In your step you mentioned that for 2 cups of whole wheat you got 3.5 cups of precipitated milk. Does you measurements of Sugar and Ghee depends on this 2 or 3.5 cups? Please confirm.

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    Replies
    1. Hi,

      The amount of ghee and sugar depends on the quantity of the fermented milk.If you got less milk, reduce sugar and ghee accordingly

      Thanks
      Shylaja

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    2. Thanks for your reply. I think that I almost got it right. The taste was good without color. But I did not do the additional coloring step. I think the right thickening is need before adding the sugar Step 6.
      Thanks for your recipe. It came out good.

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  82. Very healthy and delicious dish...
    Thanks for sharing such great post... :-)

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  83. Great recipe. My mom is a big fan of Tirunelveli Halwa and I wanted to surprise her with a homemade version. Found your recipe and I tried making this today. The result was yummy and completely floored my mom. I tried with 4 tbsp of wheat and it took me an hour to make it.

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  84. Great recipe my favourite one shock to see online at http://www.nativcrush.com

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