An Indian dessert with a silky, fudge-like consistency, the halwa slides down your throat in no time and instantly warms your soul. An all-time favourite Indian sweet dish, halwa is believed to have originated in Persia and widely spread throughout the Middle East and then to India. Interestingly, there are hundreds of other variants of halwa in addition to popular ones like gajar (carrot), sooji (semolina), besan (gram flour), aata (wheat flour), etc. If reading this has awakened your taste buds, here are five types of halwas from South India you must try.
Tirunelveli Halwa
This halwa is famous in the city of Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. Made with wheat, sugar, and ghee, Tirunelveli Halwa was popularised by Iruttukadai Halwa, a shop believed to have opened in the year 1900. The wheat, which is the main ingredient, is washed several times in the running water of the Thamirabarani River, following which it is soaked overnight for nearly 8 to 9 hours in clear water. After this, it is ground and filtered to separate the clear wheat milk from the husk. The wheat milk is refrigerated for at least half an hour before putting it on the stove and simmering it.
Location Iruttukadai Halwa Shop (14, E Car St, Tirunelveli Town, Tirunelveli)
Muscoth Halwa
A Joseph, who died in 2002 at the age of 78, is credited for bringing the Muscoth Halwa to Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, where it was a well-liked treat more than a century earlier. Muscoth is coconut milk in Sinhalese. Joseph first had it in the 1950s during one of his journeys to Sri Lanka and loved the flavour so much that he bought the recipe from a store and prepared it himself when he arrived home. He substituted maida for wheat to give it a unique flavour and added coconut milk, sugar, and cashew nut powder. In 1969, J Jeyaseelan, Joseph's son, saw a commercial possibility in the halwa and opened a production facility and shop known as AJJ Sweets.
Location AJJ Sweets & Bakery (3/161 Mudalur, Tuticorin District)
Rava Kesari
Rava Kesari is a famous and delicious South Indian sweet made from rava (semolina), sugar, ghee, saffron and dry fruits. This melt-in-the-mouth orange-coloured sweet is made during festivals and poojas or auspicious occasions in South India, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Asoka Halwa
In its very essence, the Asoka Halwa is the South Indian version of moong dal halwa. Popular in town Thiruvaiyaru of district Thanjavur, Asoka Halwa's main ingredients are moong daal, wheat, ghee, and sugar. Its soft texture and glossy appearance make the Asoka Halwa a must served dessert at most of the weddings in the Thanjavur district.
Semiya Kesari
Semiya Kesari is a South Indian sweet made with semiya (vermicelli), sugar, ghee, water or milk and saffron colour or saffron strands. It is simply a variation of the Rava Kesari, but semolina is replaced with semiya here. However, whether it can be identified as a halwa or not is a debatable topic.
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