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Bombay Halwa (Karachi Halwa)

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“Bombay Halwa” is a popular Indian sweet that also goes by the name “Karachi Halwa.” It can also be called “Bombay Ice Halwa.” Bombay Halwa is a type of Turkish delight found in India. It is made of starch, sugar, and some kind of flavor. My favorite flavor of Bombay Halwa is made with pistachios and cardamom.

Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info
Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info

In honor of National Pistachio Day, I wanted to make something special. Pistachio is such a popular nut in India that there are countless recipes I could have made. But I thought back to my childhood, as I often do, and remembered how much fun it was to eat Bombay ice halwa. 

Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info

Bombay Halwa is made of squares with nuts suspended in the middle. It is super delicious, playful, and easy to make. It is 100% vegan (if you use vegetable oil instead of ghee or butter) and gluten-free!

Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info

Some people use corn starch in this recipe, but arrowroot powder is more authentic and has a more pleasant texture. Arrowroot powder comes from a plant root, so it is vegan-friendly.

Arrowroot powder is more clear and does not impart any flavor, while corn starch has some corn flavor remaining. If you choose to substitute corn starch for the arrowroot, you should half the amount (or double the amount of everything else!)

Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info

In this recipe, I use chlorophyll as a natural food dye and I love the creamy, green color I get as a result. You can easily leave it out or substitute whatever food dye and color you prefer.

Bombay Halwa is a great sweet to make for special occasions. It doesn’t take a lot of work, or a lot of time, but what a creative idea if you are looking for a dessert to celebrate a holiday like Holi or Diwali!

Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info
I love the name “Bombay Ice Halwa,” it is so descriptive because they look like translucent ice cubes.
Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info
Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info
Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info
Pistachio Halwa recipe by Indiaphile.info

Bombay Halwa

Puja
Pistachio and cardamom flavored Bombay halwa. Bombay halwa is a type of Turkish delight found in India. It is made of starch, sugar, and some kind of flavor.
4.80 from 5 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Servings 25
Calories 63 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • ½ cup arrowroot starch also known as arrowroot powder or arrowroot flour
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp ghee plus a little extra for greasing the pan butter or Earth Balance work too
  • tsp ground cardamom
  • ¼ cup pistachios
  • 10 cashews cut into half lengthwise
  • 10 to 12 drops liquid chlorophyll

Instructions
 

  • Smear a 8×8 inch square pan with ghee and set aside. (You can also make a parchment sling if you like but it’s not necessary)
  • In a wide saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and stir, making sure that the sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the arrowroot starch into the mixture, a little at a time, whisking as you go along to avoid lumps. Whisk until the arrowroot starch is well incorporated and lump free.
  • Add 2 cups of water (room temperature) and whisk well.
  • Turn the heat back on to medium. Let the mixture cook but make sure to stir continuously. (At this point I switch to a silicon spatula for the stirring because it find it easier than using a whisk.) Cook for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens to the consistency of jelly.
  • Add the lemon juice and continue to stir. Let cook for another 5 minutes.
  • When the mixture starts to get stick to the sides of the pan, add the ghee. Cook for another 10 minutes until the ghee is well incorporated and the mixture has thickened further.
  • Add the ground cardamom (make sure to stir this in well because it tends to clump), pistachios, cashews and the chlorophyll.
  • Stir until everything is well combined. It will be the consistency of thick gel.
  • Transfer the gel to the greased pan. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours until set.
  • Then flip onto a cutting board and cut into 25 equal squares but cutting 5 rows lengthwise and 5 width-wise.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or a room temperature for 2 days.

Notes

Traditionally Bombay halwa is brightly colored. But I hate using food coloring if I can help it so I experimented with using chlorophyll. The final color turned out to be more grey than I wanted but I don’t mind it.
Feel free to use food coloring instead if you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 17mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mg
Keyword arrowroot, bombay halwa, bombay ice halwa, halwa, ice halwa, turkish delight
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Published
Categorized as Sweets

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