Instant Pot Atta Halwa (gluten-free option)

I’ve figured out how to make atta halwa (aate ka halwa) using the least effort possible! It takes minutes to make in an instant pot.

Atta halwa, also known as karah prasad, is made with just three ingredients: wheat flour, sugar and ghee. I’m also sharing a gluten-free version!

How is this easier to make in an instant pot?

This type of halwa is much easier to make in an instant pot.

Traditionally, you’re supposed to roast flour and ghee together in a pot and then boil sugar in another pot and then combine the two pots together and watch the halwa mixture bubble and splutter and hope you don’t get hurt in the process. If you’re kinda clumsy like I am (there’s a reason I keep a first aid kit in the kitchen), trying to pour hot sugar into another pan is just something to avoid.

With an instant pot, you can easily make a sugar syrup in minutes. After that, you just stir in ghee and roasted flour. That’s it! The halwa is done!

The most time consuming part of making this halwa in an instant pot is that you first need to dry roast flour until it turns golden which really only takes ten minutes. You can even do this step in advance and have roasted flour ready for when you want to make this.

Is this the same thing as karah prasad?

This is the same type of halwa as karah prasad or kada prasad which is given as an offering in gurudawaras (religious place of worship for those following the Sikh religion). Typically though, karah prasad is made with equal amounts of flour, sugar and ghee. In my recipe, I use less ghee though you can easily add more if you’d like.

How do I make gluten free flour halwa?

I’ve tested this with a couple brands of gluten-free flour and my suggestion is to use this brand (swad gluten-free chapati flour). The reason I suggest this brand is because it roasts well and looks and tastes more like whole wheat flour halwa.

Gluten-free flours vary and some blends (especially if they are primarily made up of rice flour, potato starch or tapioca flour) may look lighter in color and may be a bit “gummy.” I’ve tried this halwa using “gluten-free measure for measure flour” (available at Costco) and while good, it’s not quite as good as the swad brand.

The great thing about this halwa is that it’s made with three common ingredients found in most Indian homes, making it a great recipe to make anytime you need a last-minute sweet dish (my kheer recipe is also good last minute option). This halwa is nut-free and gluten-free (if you use this gluten-free flour). I know you’ll love this dessert!

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