A rich and decadent dessert made with humble Indian pantry ingredients. Besan ka halwa typically requires a lot of time and energy to make due to constant stirring, but my recipe is as quick and easy as can be. You’ll be able to make this dessert in minutes!
What is Besan Halwa?
Besan ka halwa, or gram flour pudding, is made with besan, sugar, ghee, and cardamom – and can be topped with nuts.
If you have an Indian pantry, chances are you always have these ingredients available, making this rich halwa a good go-to for last-minute guests.
Roasted besan gives this halwa a deep, nutty flavor. It’s an ingredient that works equally well in sweet and savory dishes. You can make everything from sweets like Besan Burfi and Besan Sheera to savory recipes like Kadhi, Pakora, Khanvdi, Dhokla, and so much more.
Besan Halwa Ingredients
- Besan: this is Indian chickpea flour (not the same as garbanzo flour). You can find this at your local Indian grocery store or on amazon.
- Sugar
- Water
- Cardamom: please use freshly ground cardamom – it’s a must for desserts. It’s much more aromatic and flavorful than the preground cardamom you’ll find in stores.
- Ghee: this recipe calls for a lot of ghee, but that’s what makes this so rich and decadent. You can always reduce it a bit, but it may change the texture.
- Nuts: this is an optional ingredient so you can skip it if you’d like. I like to top the halwa with sliced almonds and raw green pistachios. I suggest using raw green pistachios as they are brighter than roasted.
How to Make Besan Halwa:
Dry roast the besan until the flour no longer smells raw and looks golden in color. Remove the besan from the pot and sift it if you’d like a very smooth halwa (you can also skip this if you’re not too particular – I usually do). Set the roasted besan aside for now.
Add water and sugar to the pot and mix well then cook. Once it’s done, press sauté and add the ghee, roasted besan, cardamom, and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes or until well combined.
Take it out of the pot and pour the halwa into a bowl. You can then garnish with sliced almonds and green pistachios; they make this pudding a little prettier.
Tips for Making Besan Halwa
- When you pour the besan out of the pot, that’s the best time to immediately pour it into a bowl so it cools and sets nicely. It may not look quite as good if you pour it elsewhere and then spoon it into a bowl later. If that’s the case though, you can always garnish with nuts!
- I personally prefer eating this halwa while it’s warm. As the halwa cools, you may see some ghee pooling around the edges – just mix it back in before serving.
- Top with whatever nuts you’d like. I love the way sliced almonds and raw bright green pistachios looked sprinkled on top.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
Ingredients
- 115 grams Besan 1 cup
- 100 grams Sugar ½ cup
- 6 oz water ¾ cup
- 6 ounces ghee ¾ cup
- 1 teaspoon fresh cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoon nuts I like to use 1 tablespoon each of sliced almonds and chopped raw green pistachios
Instructions
- Press sauté and adjust to the medium setting. Wait 1 minute for the pot to get hot, then add the besan and dry roast for about 10 minutes, or until the flour no longer smells raw and looks golden in color. Make sure to stir frequently to avoid burning/browning the besan, and also be sure to break any lumps as you stir (you will always sift the besan once it’s done roasting).
- Remove the besan, sift it, and set it aside for now. Wipe the pot clean.
- Add water and sugar to the pot and mix well.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
- Quick release.
- Press the sauté button, add the ghee, roasted besan, cardamom and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes or until well combined.
- Take it out of the pot and serve it in a bowl, garnished with sliced almonds and green pistachios.
Notes
- When you pour the besan out of the pot, that’s the best time to immediately pour it into a bowl so it cools and sets nicely. It may not look quite as good if you pour it elsewhere and then spoon it into a bowl later. If that’s the case though, you can always garnish with nuts!
S. V. says
It was delicious!!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad to hear that!
Zahra says
I think i need to redo it. It still tastes like raw besan. I dry roasted it for 10 minutes but I guess I should have let it go a little longer.
Neeta Raut says
Looks good!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Neeta!