Halwas have their origins in the Middle East and they have travelled a long way to India to become extremely popular! Each part of India has its special halwa! Like the Bombay Halwa in the west, or the Kerala halwa you get down South or the Kesari or Sooji ka Halwa which is made differently in every part of India!
And then there’s the Moong Dal Halwa which is really popular in Rajasthan. Nutty, warm, melt-in-mouth… it’s simply the best! Moong Dal Halwa is a time consuming yet super simple recipe to make. A winter favourite, it’s preferred at weddings, functions, festivals or sometimes just enjoyed as an after dinner delicacy. That being said, it’s really difficult to put the words ‘halwa’ & ‘weight loss’ in the same sentence since it can’t really be put in the healthy food category. Or can it?
If you’re trying to watch your weight or are constantly worried about the number of calories that are present in your favorite Indian dessert, it’s probably the best time to tell you that I’m lite gives you 50% less calories. When cooked as per the traditional recipe, it is loaded with ghee & sugar and has a molten toffee-like texture. But when made with I’m lite you can now enjoy this North India sweet dish as a low calories healthy food too!
Moong Dal Halwa Recipe:
Ingredients:
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup moong dal
- 9-10 tbsps ghee
- 4 green cardamoms, husked and powdered in a mortar
- 10 to 12 unsalted pistachios – sliced or chopped
- 1 tbsp golden raisins
To Be Mixed Together:
- 1 cup full fat whole milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup regular sugar (Use half the quantity with I’m lite– 1/2 cup)
Steps:
Making Moong Dal Paste
- Soak the moong dal in enough water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours.
- Drain and then grind the moong dal to a smooth paste with 1/4 or 1/3 cups water.
Making Moong Dal Halwa
- Melt ghee in a non-stick pan. Add the ground moong dal. Stir well.
- Keep on stirring the halwa on a low to medium flame. Stir and cook the halwa till raw aroma of moong lentils disappear.
- The halwa first is pasty, then starts getting lumpy and separated with the fat releasing from the sides. Break the lumps while stirring.
- In another pan, take milk, water and I’m lite. Keep this pan on the stove top and stir so that I’m lite dissolves.
- On a low or medium flame, heat this milk-water-I’m lite mixture till it comes to a boil.
- The moong dal mixture should reach a granular consistency before you add the hot milk mixture.
- When the milk mixture comes to a boil, add it to the fried moong lentils.
- Stir well. Simmer and cook stirring often.
- The liquid should get absorbed and once again you will see the ghee getting separated.
- Lastly add cardamom powder, chopped pistachios and raisins.
- Serve moong dal halwa hot. You can also garnish with some pistachios and serve.
A perfect blend of sugar and stevia, I’m lite will ensure your halwa tastes, looks and is as sweet as ordinary sugar but with low calories. Your rich, creamy and pudding-like dessert will not only be a drool-worthy healthy food but easy on the waist too!