This Ashoka Halwa Recipe is a traditional and authentic sweet from Tamilnadu cuisine. Especially this halwa is very famous in Thiruvaiyaru, a small town in Thanjavur district, situated on the banks of River Kaveri where the greatest music festivals take place annually. It is a must sweet at all the weddings, which takes place in and around Thanjavur district. Though it is prepared from moong dal, it is not the same moong dal halwa from North India. It tastes so divine with Mixture and a tumbler of filter coffee. Also, I have added a short YouTube video for this Thiruvaiyaru Style Asoka Halwa for easy understanding, do watch it and please don’t forget to subscribe to my channel too…
Find my other Halwa Recipes like
1. Bombay Karachi Halwa
2. Badam / Almond Halwa
3. Carrot / Gajar ka Halwa
4. Papaya Halwa
Thiruvaiyaru Style Asoka Halwa
Ashoka Halwa Recipe | Thiruvaiyaru Style Asoka Halwa
Ashoka Halwa Recipe / Thiruvaiyaru Style Asoka Halwa is an authentic sweet from Tamilnadu. It is a must sweet at all the weddings in Thanjavur district.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Moong Dal / பாசிப்பருப்பு
- 3 Cups Water / தண்ணீர்
- 1/2 Cup Ghee / நெய்
- 2 tbsp Wheat Flour / கோதுமை மாவு
- 10 Cashew / முந்திரிப்பருப்பு
- 2 Cups Sugar / சக்கரை
- 2 to 3 Pinch Food Colour
- 4 Cardamon / ஏலக்காய்
Instructions
- First, measure and keep all the ingredients ready.
- In a heavy bottomed pan, add moong dal and dry roast it for few minutes, until nice aroma wafts. Take care not to burn it, otherwise, the halwa smells bad.
- Then transfer the moong dal to a vessel, pour 3 cups of water and pressure cook it for 5 whistles. Once it cools down, transfer it to a mixer.
- Just grind it once till smooth (you can mash it with a ladle or potato masher too). Pour 2 tbsp of ghee in the pan, add cashews, fry till golden colour and keep it separately.
- Then add wheat flour and roast for a while, till the raw smell leaves. Then keep by side.
- To the same pan, pour the ground moong dal. Immediately, Simmer the flame and start stirring.
- Now add sugar and mix well. The sugar starts to melt, the mixture turns watery and glossy now. Then add the roasted wheat flour and keep stirring continuously, until there are no lumps (about 5 minutes).
- Once the halwa thickens a little, add food colour and ghee.
- Add crushed cardamom and fried cashews.
- 10. Keep mixing in low flame, until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and the ghee separates.
Enjoy this Ashoka Halwa Recipe with Ribbon Pakoda.
Video
Notes
Tips for making Thiruvaiyaru Style Asoka Halwa
- Roasting moong dal is a must, as it lends a nice aroma to the Asokha halwa recipe.
- Use a non-stick or heavy bottomed pan, to prevent the halwa from getting burnt at the bottom.
- No need to add water when grinding the moong dal, otherwise it takes a lot of time to get thickened while cooking.
- You can even mash the moong dal with a ladle or potato masher.
- Instead of wheat flour maida / all purpose flour can also be used.
- Add ghee generously to get a non-sticky halwa and it gives nice taste too.
- For more flavour 2 pinch of nutmeg powder can also be used.
- Switch it off when the halwa is in slight running consistency itself, as it thickens with time. Don't cook furthermore else this halwa turns chewy.
- Once the halwa thickens, the texture turns little grainy and the ghee also gets frosted. You can have it as such or heat a little for melting consistency.
- Furthermore, adjust sugar as per sweetness preferred and you can increase the wheat flour to 4 tbsp too.
Method
1. First, measure and keep all the ingredients ready.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, add moong dal and dry roast it for few minutes, until nice aroma wafts. Take care not to burn it, otherwise, the halwa smells bad.
3. Then transfer the moong dal to a vessel, pour 3 cups of water and pressure cook it for 5 whistles. Once it cools down, transfer it to a mixer.
4. Just grind it once till smooth (you can mash it with a ladle or potato masher too). Pour 2 tbsp of ghee in the pan, add cashews, fry till golden colour and keep it separately.
5. Then add wheat flour and roast for a while, till the raw smell leaves. Then keep by side.
6. To the same pan, pour the ground moong dal. Immediately, Simmer the flame and start stirring.
7. Now add sugar and mix well. The sugar starts to melt, the mixture turns watery and glossy now. Then add the roasted wheat flour and keep stirring continuously, until there are no lumps (about 5 minutes).
8. Once the halwa thickens a little, add food colour and ghee.
9. Add crushed cardamom and fried cashews.
10. Keep mixing in low flame, until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and the ghee separates. First I used 2 pinches of orange food colour and added 1 pinch of red food colour at last to give a bright look.
Enjoy this Ashoka Halwa Recipe with Ribbon Pakoda.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, add moong dal and dry roast it for few minutes, until nice aroma wafts. Take care not to burn it, otherwise, the halwa smells bad.
3. Then transfer the moong dal to a vessel, pour 3 cups of water and pressure cook it for 5 whistles. Once it cools down, transfer it to a mixer.
4. Just grind it once till smooth (you can mash it with a ladle or potato masher too). Pour 2 tbsp of ghee in the pan, add cashews, fry till golden colour and keep it separately.
5. Then add wheat flour and roast for a while, till the raw smell leaves. Then keep by side.
6. To the same pan, pour the ground moong dal. Immediately, Simmer the flame and start stirring.
7. Now add sugar and mix well. The sugar starts to melt, the mixture turns watery and glossy now. Then add the roasted wheat flour and keep stirring continuously, until there are no lumps (about 5 minutes).
8. Once the halwa thickens a little, add food colour and ghee.
9. Add crushed cardamom and fried cashews.
10. Keep mixing in low flame, until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and the ghee separates. First I used 2 pinches of orange food colour and added 1 pinch of red food colour at last to give a bright look.
Enjoy this Ashoka Halwa Recipe with Ribbon Pakoda.
Ashoka Halwa Recipe
Welcome to my blog www.asmallbite.com. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you’re enjoying my recipes to make the taste forever. I am Priya Santhamohan, writer and photographer (with hubby’s help) of this blog. 
I didn’t have seen this type of jelly colourfull halwa. Very nice recipe.
Thank you