Singhare ka Halwa (Water Chestnut Flour Halwa)

Singhara (water chestnut) flour is one of the three classic fasting flours of North India. Roasted slowly in ghee until it smells nutty and then cooked with sugar syrup, it becomes a soft, glossy halwa in 15 minutes – offered as prasad and eaten on fasting days.

Video by cook with manisha on YouTube. Our recipe below is our own home-style version, written in our own words – quantities and steps may differ from the video.

• Serves 4
• Prep 5 min
• Cook 15 min
• Vegetarian · gluten-free
• Famous in North India (Navratri)

Ingredients

• 100 g singhara (water chestnut) flour
• 80 g ghee
• 100 g sugar
• 400 ml water
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp chopped almonds and pistachios

Method

1. Heat the water with sugar until dissolved; keep hot.
2. Melt the ghee in a heavy pan, add the flour and roast on low heat, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until golden and fragrant.
3. Carefully pour in the hot syrup (it splutters) and stir quickly to avoid lumps.
4. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and the ghee shines. Add cardamom.
5. Garnish with nuts and serve warm.

Tip: Patient roasting on low heat is everything – raw flour tastes pasty.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.