Atta ki Halwa - How to make wheat flour pudding

Atte or atta ki halwa is a very popular sweet dish in North India and it is made during festival (for ex. Navaratri ) as well as daily dessert. Similar dish is served in Gurudwaras where it is called karah prashad but the proportions of Ghee is more (1:1:1 for wheat flour:sugar:ghee). However it is rich in calories as well as taste but once or twice we can set aside the calorie consciousness away, right? By the way, this is a vegan dish and if you use whole wheat flour then it is gluten-free as well. Without talking too much let us proceed to cook this wonderful dessert.

Preparation Time: - 5 min

Cooking Time: - 15 min

Servings: - 5~6 person ( depends on liking and consumption capacity )

Ingredients:- 

1. 1 cup atta (you can use whole wheat flour but I prefer the normal Indian wheat flour)
2. ½ cup ghee (clarified butter)
3. 1 cup sugar (If you are not a sugar lover as I am you may reduce the amount as per your taste)
4. 2 cups water
5. Few cashews and almonds
6. 1 tsp Cardamom powder or crushed whole green cardamom - optional
7. Few green raisins - optional

Preparation:-

1. Take a heavy bottomed non-stick wok or kadai and heat the ghee.                                                                    
2. Roast few cashews and almonds in the ghee and keep aside. If you use crushed green cardamom then roast that also with cashew and almond. If you use cardamom powder like me then no need to add it in this step.
3. Now add atta or Indian flour to the hot ghee and start roasting it.
4. In the meantime, pour sugar in water in a skillet.
5. Heat the mixture turning your burner on a medium flame and let the solution start boiling. Then put the burner in low flame and let it simmer.
6. Continue roasting the atta by stirring till its color changes to golden brown and a nice aroma gets generated.
7. Keep on stirring the flour to ensure even browning on all sides.
8. Now put the burner of sugar solution to high so that it starts to form bubbles.
9. Just then pour the sugar solution to the atta mixture.
10. Now start stirring viciously so that the mixture becomes smooth and no lumps are formed.
11. The mixture will absorb water and will thicken.
12. Continue stirring and when the mixture thickens to your liking sprinkle cardamom powder, stir again for few seconds and switch off the flame.
13. Now add the already roasted cashews, almonds and few raisins on top.
    

Your delicious atte ka halwa is ready to serve and eat it hot or warm.

You can eat it as standalone dessert or with Pooris. In fact poori - halwa is a popular combination in North India.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.