5 from 42 votes
Besan Halwa - Chickpea flour fudge
Besan Halwa is a traditional Indian sweet made with roasted chickpea flour cooked into a rich, custard-like fudge. This recipe combines toasted chickpea flour with oil, sugar, water, nuts, currants, and cardamom to create a mildly sweet dessert with a grainy yet smooth texture. Adding hot water gradually results in a creamy halwa that holds together well. It can be served warm or cold and offers a comforting, dense treat with warm spice notes from cardamom, suitable for festive occasions or a cozy dessert.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings:
4
Calories:
300 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of oil organic safflower or canola or coconut
- 3/4 cup chickpea flour or besan
- green cardamom seeds whole seeds or crushed to a coarse meal, or use 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, seeds of 1 pod
- 1/3 cup raw sugar or a mix of sugar and powdered jaggery, or more; or coconut sugar
- 3/4 cup water hot
- 2 tablespoons nuts chopped
- 2 tablespoons currants
- salt a pinch
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chickpea flour to the oil. Mix and roast for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. The flour will be dry, then become like fat breadcrumbs and eventually change color slightly and start to stick to make larger lumps.
- Meanwhile bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
- Add the nuts, currants and salt to the chickpea flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the sugar and cardamom seeds and mix in.
- Add 1/2 cup hot boiling water to the skillet and mix in. Add the rest 1/4 cup of the water and continue to mix vigorously. The chickpea flour mixture will become lumpy and eventually become smooth and custard like. Continue to mix to break the lumps. (use a whisk if the lumps do not break within the first 1-2 mins). Cook for about 3 minutes, then take off heat. Garnish with sliced nuts. Serve warn or cold. Store in a closed container for a few hours on the counter. Refrigerate for upto 5 days.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Adjust the amount of water to achieve desired halwa consistency, more water yields a custard-like texture.
- Store Besan Halwa in a closed container at room temperature for a few hours or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Use whole or ground cardamom seeds for authentic flavor, adjusting quantity to taste.
Nutrition Information
Calories
300kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
36g
(12%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Sodium
18mg
(1%)
Potassium
279mg
(6%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
24g
(48%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
21mg
(2%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 300
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 300kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 18mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 279mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 24g | 48% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 21mg | 2% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.