Karachi Halwa

preparation for karachi halwa

1. First take 1 cup corn flour (100 grams) in a mixing bowl. add 1 cup water.
2. Mix very well with a wired whisk. There should be no lumps. Keep aside.
3. Line a tray or pan with butter paper or parchment paper. Alternatively you can grease the pan on the bottom and sides with some ghee. Keep aside.

preparing sugar solution

1. In a heavy kadai take 1 cup sugar (200 grams). add ½ cup water.
2. Add 5 to 6 drops of natural orange color extract. You can use any natural color extract like yellow, red, pink, green. You can also use about 1 pinch of saffron strands for a faint yellow color.
3. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice. mix well and keep the pan on a stove top.
4. Keep the flame to medium-low and begin stirring the solution, so that the sugar solution dissolves. Then reduce the flame to a low or sim. Keep the flame to its lowest.
5. Let the sugar solution come to a boil.

making karachi halwa

1. Now take the corn starch solution and stir it again as the corn starch settles down at the bottom, so you have to mix everything again before you add in the sugar syrup.
2. Add a part of the corn flour solution. Add corn flour solution in two to three parts.
3. As soon as you add mix very well with a wired whisk.
4. Then add the second part of the corn flour solution. mix and stir very well.
5. Continue to mix and stir at non stop on a low flame. Now use a spatula or a spoon for stirring instead of wired whisk.
6. The corn flour will begin to become sticky and thicken. Keep on stirring.
7. Stir and mix till the entire mixture thickens.
8. Once the entire mixture thickens, add ¼ cup ghee in two to three parts.
9. As soon as you add ghee, mix well so that all of the ghee is incorporated in the corn flour mixture.
10. All of the ghee should be mixed well. 
11. Then add the second portion of ghee. mix again.
12. Continue to stir and mix when adding ghee in parts.
13. Add the last portion of ghee.
14. stir and mix again and cook for 1 to 2 minutes stirring often, till the mixture gathers in one mass. By this time the mixture must have already left the sides of the kadai or pan. You will also see ghee releasing from the sides.

to check the doneness of karachi halwa

1. Take a small portion of halwa in a plate
2. Then check if you can form into a ball. If yes then the karachi halwa is ready. While checking you have to be quick and not keep the halwa cooking in the kadai. So either cool the halwa portion by placing it in water or use a napkin and with the help of the cotton napkin shape the halwa.
3. Once the mixture gather in one mass and has a translucent appearance, switch off the flame and quickly add 1 tablespoon sliced almonds, 1 tablespoon chopped cashews and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder.
4. Then quickly add 1 teaspoon rose water. Rose water can be skipped. mix immediately.

setting karachi halwa

1. Quickly add the halwa mixture in the lined or greased tray.
2. Begin to spread the halwa mixture in the tray.  then level with a spatula. level neatly.
3. Then add 2 teaspoons sliced almonds and 2 teaspoons sliced cashews all over the halwa.
4. Press the nuts with spatula so that they stick to it.
5. Allow to cool at room temperature.
6. Once cooled, remove the karachi halwa. then slice it in squares.
7. Serve karachi halwa as a festive sweet or an after meal sweet. Leftover can be stored in an air tight box and then refrigerated.