Ashoka halwa with step by step pictures and full video. Ashoka halwa is the south Indian sweet prepared with moong dal, paasi paruppu.
I tasted ashoka halwa only in my marriage, before that, I have never tasted the sweet or know that such sweet exists. My FIL arranged and brought 2 chefs (thavisu pillais) from our native side and they cooked awesome food for our marriage. This ashoka sweet for one it was red in colour as they had used red food colour.
Other than that, I never knew about the recipe. It was yumm that what I knew. After I started blogging, I saw the recipe in a Laavanya’s blog, tried and posted the picture as well. It’s Vj’s favorite sweet, that’s why I tried. I added a lots of ghee in it, still it came out sticky.
I was not sure why it became so sticky that time, but now when I made this yesterday, I realised I should have cooked the halwa more. Such a simple mistake, but that point of time I never understood.
Points to note:
Depending on the dal variety, the amount of cooked dal slightly varies, so the ghee could also vary, just 1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon more or less. So just keep this post as guidance and add carefully towards end.
Even the cooked dal texture could take more or less ghee accordingly.
After that I never got confidence to try. But last week during our usual chat with my friends, I again got this reminded. My friend Suji sent me a recipe as she have tried several times. Only thing I altered was ghee as I tried to be safe. Otherwise I followed the same. The texture was really smooth.
This sweet is famous in Thiruvaiyaru as well as Tanjore. I have never tasted from these places, I hope someday I get a chance to taste 🙂. This is also called Asoka halwa.
Full video for Ashoka halwa :
Ashoka halwa recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup Moong dal paasi paruppu
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼+ 2 tbsp cup Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 1 pinch Food colour
- 8 Cashew nuts
Instructions
- Pressure cook moong dal with 2 cups water and mash it really smooth.
- I used my hand blender and gave a pulse, you can also do this using mixer.
- If it's already mashed smooth you can skip grinding.
- Meanwhile, In a pan, heat 2 tablespoon ghee, first fry cashew nuts until golden, keep aside.
- Switch off the flame. Fry wheat flour in the same hot ghee it until fragrant, taking care not to burn it. Keep aside.
- In a heavy bottomed pan or non stick pan, heat the cooked dal with sugar.
- Add ghee 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix well until it gets incorporated with the moong dal sugar mixture and again add another tablespoon and repeat until done with the ghee.
- The colour of the moong dal mixture turns transparent as you cook.
- Once thick, add food colour and mix well.
- Add cashew nut, cardamom and lastly the fried wheat flour with ghee.
- Once you add wheat flour, the mixture will thicken and keep cooking, it will start leaving the pan and ooze ghee.
- Do in medium flame.Once halwa consistency reaches, that is the ghee oozes out and becomes glossy, switch off the stove.
Video
Notes
- Try to use natural food colours or skip food colour if you are worried about it.
- Pressure cooking moong dal with 4 cups water ensures it is cooked soft. This makes easier while you mash the dal. If the dal is not mashed well, it will stay same in the halwa and won't be smooth.
- Also the dal's texture will affect how much ghee it takes.
- Instead of wheat flour, you can also use maida (All purpose flour).
- My friend told she adds only 2 tablespoon of ghee and still it comes out good. But I feel if you want non sticky texture, keep adding until the ghee oozes out.
- You can anyway collect the ghee that oozes out, but it is important to add more if you want a non sticky halwa.
- After completely cooling down, the ghee gets frosted, and gives a grainy texture. So heat a bit before you serve to make it smoother.
- You can add more wheat flour too but I like it minimum.
How to make ashoka halwa recipe method:
-
- Pressure cook moong dal with 2 cups water and mash it really smooth. I used my hand blender and gave a pulse, you can also do this using mixer. If it's already mashed smooth you can skip grinding.
- Meanwhile, In a pan, heat 2 tablespoon ghee, first fry cashew nuts until golden, keep aside and switch off the flame.
- Fry wheat flour in the same hot ghee it until fragrant, taking care not to burn it. Keep aside.
- In a heavy bottomed pan or non stick pan, heat the cooked dal with sugar. Add ghee 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix well until it gets incorporated with the moong dal sugar mixture and again add another tablespoon and repeat until done with the ghee.
- The colour of the moong dal mixture turns transparent as you cook. Once thick, add food colour and mix well.
- Add cashew nut, cardamom and lastly the fried wheat flour with ghee. Once you add wheat flour, the mixture will thicken and keep cooking, it will start leaving the pan and ooze ghee. Do in medium flame.
- Once halwa consistency reaches, that is the ghee oozes out and becomes glossy, switch off the stove.
- Pressure cook moong dal with 2 cups water and mash it really smooth. I used my hand blender and gave a pulse, you can also do this using mixer. If it's already mashed smooth you can skip grinding.
Flavorful and delicious moong dal halwa aka ashoka halwa. Special Diwali recipe 😉.
Uma Venkat
Awesome....very nice raji...u hv lots of patience....halwa looks tempting..
Uma Venkat
Awesome....very nice raji...u hv lots of patience....halwa looks tempting..
Divs
My Amma is from Tanjore she keeps raving about how she relished it during her childhood . I too wish to eat it there from there someday. This looks absolutely sinful and delicious. Awesome pics as always 🙂
Gayu
Love ur blog Raji akka... The colour of halwa makes my mouth watering... Beautiful pics
....
Veena Theagarajan
Looks yum and lovely texture
Vidhu
Hey thanks for the recipe raks.. whatz the difference between this n moong dal halwa
Raks Anand
The procedure. Like difference between sheera and kesari. This is south Indian version moong dal halwa is north Indian version.
Ruhi Saxena
What :O Please don't ruin such special recipe!! Its a specialty of North Indians. From where you got to know about food color?? we never use food color in this special recipe. The Technic behind this halwa is just roast roast and roast ..Tats it!! you may change measurements as per your taste buds...but you cannot play with authenticity of the dish. I know this critic comment will not be displayed but ti hardly matters to me. I just wanted to convey the exact thing to you. You usually do great work raks...keep it up. but since you are so famous now...don't try to manipulate some criteria which may affect the authenticity of the dish.
chetana
Looks yummy!!! I'll try this
Aus
Ruhi saxena- excuse me?? As Rak has mentioned its authentic and popular South Indian sweet and I have grown up eating this Ashoka halwa. She is not manipulating any North Indian recipes. And of course she is famous are you jealous? Can you cook like her? If you can't say something nice don't say anything and stay away!
Aus
Ruhi saxena- excuse me?? As Rak has mentioned its authentic and popular South Indian sweet and I have grown up eating this Ashoka halwa. She is not manipulating any North Indian recipes. And of course she is famous are you jealous? Can you cook like her? If you can't say something nice don't say anything and stay away! Don't act too smart. First prove yourself that you can achieve something like her. Empty vessels make more noise!
Unknown
Thanks for posting. i love the quantity of ghee. Will try ur version. Happy Diwali. This is Tanjore special. Not the North Indian Moong dal halwa.
Unknown
I am from Tanjore. This halwa is famous thiruvaiyaru ashoka halwa...
Unknown
I am from Tanjore. This halwa is famous thiruvaiyaru ashoka halwa...
Unknown
I am from Tanjore. This halwa is famous thiruvaiyaru ashoka halwa...
Karunakaran M kalathi
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karunakaran M kalathi
Ruhi saxena- You are misled by your own preoccupied misconceptions. Moong dal halwa, a famous rajasthani delicacy, which is in your mind is entirely different from the ashoka halwa mentioned here.
moong dal halwa u mean doesnt need pressure cooking of dal. I remember one has to soak it for a period and grind it as such. It drinks lots and lots of ghee. It takes much effort roasting it over long period of time. it has some granular consistency. No doubt its an delicacy.
But , down south , in another ancient town , there is another sweet made with moong dal, but in different steps. one need to pressure cook dal for this recipe. you will be surprised, its taste is entirely different from the dish u mean.
Just because, same besan flour transforms into besan ladoo, mothi chur ladoo, pakora....etc.... can u say all are same ????
Traditionally Modern Food
My fav halwa.. I remember attending wedding to taste this halwa..looks perfect raks
Abhirami Lakshmanan
Ruhi - Please think twice before accusing someone. Without knowing the facts, please don't jump into conclusions!! Manipulate??? What the hell do you know about this sweet?? Please measure your words before you speak and its clear that you are jealous of Raji!! Please don't accuse anyone like this without knowing..
Abhirami Lakshmanan
Wow,looks soo yummy Raji 🙂 have to try it soooon...
Tamilselvi Saravanan
Why your pictures are like this. It's tempting me a lot to try now itself. Great Great work. Go ahead
Tamilselvi Saravanan
Why your pictures are like this. It's tempting me a lot to try now itself. Great Great work. Go ahead
Pushpa Raja
Wow... tasty halwa... I ate this 1 time from thiruvaiyaru... till I remebered that taste...
Vivekanandhan Rajasekar
Wow.. Looks yummy...
Please post preparation of Bengali sweets, would like to try it....
priya darshini
Nice presentation raji. Thank u for your mouth watering pics and showing easy steps also..
priya darshini
Nice presentation raji. Thank u for your mouth watering pics and showing easy steps also..
suba
Perfect as usual. Do u hv recipes to make flavoured yogurt? Pls post it if any
suba
Perfect as usual. Do u hv recipes to make flavoured yogurt? Pls post it if any
padma ramesh
wow!........what a mouth watering receipe. Thanks
Nalini P
Raji: thanks for this fantastic recipe. Brings back happy memories from childhood days, just hearing the ashoka halwa name!
I have been following your blog for some time now. You rock girl!
Unknown
Looks yummy 🙂 🙂 Gonna try it 🙂 🙂 Nice click Raks 🙂 🙂
Meena Mishty
Looks yummy 🙂 🙂 Gonna try it 🙂 🙂 Nice click Raks 🙂 🙂
Prescilla
Hi Rai, I admit that I visit your blog everyday but never turned to leave a comment. But this post , pics and your presentation made me to leave a word. Thanks for sharing this authentic dish. Gonna try this weekend. Keep rocking..
ranjeni thanagavel
Hi raks.. I ve been trying ur recipe and they turn out sinfully tasty.. never thought of leaving a coment until I saw this halwa n brought down beautiful memories.. thanks for sharing. Just a small hint..
Durga Karthik.
Ashoka halwa has an unique texture .We can feel it in our tongue .
Radhashree Ramachandran
Please don't comment before knowing about any thing fully.this is entirely different from your moong dal halwa. Moreover she is not new to blogging .
Raks anand
Thank you all for your replies 🙂
Unknown
Ruhi saxena.. its an authentic south indian recipe famously known as Thiruvaiyaaru Ashoka.. Better think before commenting whatever comes to you.. If you feel its similar..you can put it in a better way..This is not the way to comment..
Shreem
Thanks for the post...yummy
Thilak saravanan
So much support for you raks, good to see that so many fans for your cooking. More than comments for this halwa it's your fans support against single Comment. I am one among them, keep doing 🙂
gayathri radhakrishnan
wow... Gonna try this recipe for diwali...
Babooty
Hi,
I am keralite and 10 years back visited Tanjavoor for a marriage function and had halwa named Asoka Halwa .My tamil friend told me its a moong dal based one. Raks, will try your recipe. Dont upset on silly comments. Awaiting more deewali recipes .Happy cooking
Rajee
This is my 3rd year since I started following your website. I was searching for Badam halwa for Diwali 2 yrs back and that is how I came across. I wish you a very Happy Diwali and many more years to go. Keep rocking. I will start my Diwali with Asoka Halwa.
Devi
@ critic commenter Ruhi saxena. Now you can see the author of this blog is honest and gutsy enough to publish your critic comment. What she has posted is the famous THIRUVAYARU ASOKA. Now if you have any decency apolgise to Ms. Raji.
Kiruthika Priya
Tried your halwa yesterday. It was excellent. But i did a mistake,since i was in a hurry i did my halwa in high flame so it became thick very soon.. even though it was gud..thank u raji 🙂
SWATI
Hello raji, yummy yummy sweet. Instead of wheat flour shall I use cornflour ??
Raks anand
You can try. But maida or wheat flour is recommended.
VIJAYASHREE
Hi Raks! Love your blog. Your sweets are just awesome. I've tried many of them. I was looking out for this recipe for a long time. I think it's better than the Moong dal halwa,which is ghee laden.
The comment made by Ruhi is in bad taste.
There are many north Indians living in south India, which in itself is proof of our (south Indian) tolerance and hospitality. When we are all becoming pan- Indian this comment about north and south is retrograde in nature.
Koushi
Awesome halwa. Can u pls tell me what kind of vessel is that. Is it ceramic? It comes so well just like nonstick
Brinda
hi Raks , pics are so tempting ...love this halwa ...im from thanjavur . going to try now ..
Vinayaki Marudai
Hi raks ur dishes r really rocking...I learnt cooking from u only and I like the way u present every dish. Pics are so tempting to eat and i want to know wat kind of pan using for doing this halwa
vishaa shalini
Hi raks i did this halwa today...but it kept adding more sugar like 2.25cup of sugar approx n 12 tspn of ghee..it was thick finally after 30min...am i doin it right??? I didnt find any transparency as u said..help me plz
Raks anand
Are you sure you added only 1/2 cup moong dal? You can follow the same sugar measure, just keep adding ghee and stir, it will turn glossy
bhuvanamukund
Hi raks would like to do for Diwali...how many days it will stay good?
Booma v halpeth
Hi just clarify whether I can use pasiparrupu flour instead of paruppu
Raks Anand
You can, but I am not sure about the process.