Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa
Also known as Authentic Thirunelveli Halwa · Veg · Sweets & Desserts
Good for: Diwali, Party
Cook along
13 steps, each one filmed
A short video for every step, so your hands never have to leave the pan.
Iruttu Kadai-style Tirunelveli halwa: wheat milk from soaked whole wheat cooked with sugar, caramel and ghee. Serves 3, 2 hours plus soaking, with video.
Ingredients
6 itemsWhole wheat200 grams
Water1 litre
Sugar2.5 cup
Cashew (half)For Garnish
Ghee1.25 cup
Contains: milk, cashew or other tree nuts, wheat.
Nutrition
One serving, and the whole batch of 3. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per serving | All 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1832kcal | 5496kcal |
| Protein | 7.2g | 22g |
| Carbohydrate | 226g | 678g |
| Fat | 106g | 317g |
| Fibre | 7.5g | 23g |
| Sugar | 175g | 526g |
Method
- 1
Wash the whole wheat and soak for 8 hours/overnight.
Whole wheat
- 2
Add it to a mixer jar with plenty of water. Grind it. Use a fine strainer to strain the wheat milk.
Water
- 3
Repeat the extraction process 2 or 3 more times until the extract isn’t white anymore.
- 4
Leave it out at room temperature for 3 hours.
- 5
The milk will separate and there will be a thin liquid floating on top. Using a ladle, gently remove most of this liquid without disturbing the bottom thick layer.
- 6
Add 1 litre of water to the remaining mixture and mix well.
Water
- 7
Add this to a heavy-bottom pot. Cook on medium heat until it starts to thicken, around 15 minutes. Keep stirring it continuously, or there might be lumps.
- 8
Add the sugar. Stir and turn the flame to low, while we prepare the caramel.
Sugar
- 9
To prepare the caramel, add the sugar to a small pan. On medium-low heat, allow the sugar to melt while stirring regularly. Keep cooking until it changes to a rich golden colour. Immediately transfer it to the wheat mixture. Take care not to overcook it as it can leave a very unpleasant bitter taste.
Sugar
- 10
Mix the caramel and the wheat mixture together immediately. Continue cooking until the mixture turns thick, but falls off the ladle smoothly.
- 11
Add the ghee in 5 stages gradually. Add part of the ghee first and mix it until the ghee is completely absorbed.
Ghee
- 12
Repeat the step with the next batch of ghee, until all the ghee is used up. Turn off the heat.
Cashew (half)
- 13
To check the consistency, allow some of the Halwa to cool down slightly. If you touch it using your hand, the Halwa should not stick. Garnish it with fried cashew nuts. Serve it warm or at room temperature.
Before you start
- How long does Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa take?
- 2 hours from start to finish. That is 45 minutes of preparation and 1 hour 15 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa serve?
- 3. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa spicy?
- No, it is not spicy.
- What do I need to make Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa?
- 200 grams Whole wheat, 2 cup Sugar, 1.25 cup Ghee, 1 litre Water, For Garnish Cashew (half), and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa?
- No, it is cooked in an open pot.
- How many calories are in Iruttu-Kadai Tirunelveli Halwa?
- About 1832 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
Nobody has shared how this one turned out yet. If you cook it, add a photo and a line for the next person.
