This is a very popular Halwa in Chennai, India which is known by its name “Dum Ka Rote”. It is essentially a baked semolina pudding made from ground almonds, semolina, ghee, khoya (reduced milk solids) and saffron.
To prepare this halwa, the mixture is first cooked on the flame and then baked in the oven at low temperature. Baking used to be done in charcoal ovens with burning charcoals at the top and bottom of the casserole dish. But the heat was kept low and controlled by skilled hands. It was baked over low heat for a long time until it was crispy on top and bottom. The crust is a delicacy and we as children would fight for it as it is the best part of the halwa. You would die for this halwa because it is so incredibly delicious!!
Basha’s ‘Dum ka red halwa’ in Chennai is world famous as he says (in this video) that once you try it, you always want more. I dedicate this recipe to one of my readers who had a great craving for it and asked me to create this recipe. The recipe for Dum ka red has been in our family for many years. But it called for eggs, which I didn’t like at all. Adding eggs gives it a different consistency like custard. Then I thought, what is the difference between Shahi Egg Sweet (Ande ki mithai), another popular dessert in Chennai, and Dum Ka Rote? Both have the same ingredients and taste. So I started experimenting and after a lot of trial and error I perfected the recipe. Those who have tried my recipe tell me that it is like Basha’s Halwa or even better.
Here is the prescription:
Ingredients:
100 g coarse semolina
250g unsweetened khoya (dried milk solids)
375g sugar
250 g ghee (clarified butter)
150 g whole almonds
1/2 cup chopped or sliced almonds for garnish
2 – 4 tbsp melon seeds for garnish
1/8 tsp saffron
1 cup half-and-half whole milk (for soaking the semolina)
1 – 2 tbsp hot water (for soaking the saffron)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Soak the semolina in 1 cup half-milk or whole milk until well soaked, 10 minutes.
2. Grind the almonds with half the sugar in the food processor until a fine powder is formed. Place in a bowl.
3. Cut the unsweetened khoya (nanak khoya or bapu ka khoya) into small cubes. Pulse and puree in the food processor with the remaining sugar until a powder forms. Add everything to the bowl with the ground almonds.
4. Soak the semolina in milk and stir well with a whisk or spatula so that everything mixes well without forming lumps. To get the desired grainy texture, it is recommended to mix the mixture manually. By pulsing it with the other ingredients, the gritty texture of the semolina is lost and the Dum Ka Rote takes on a paste-like consistency.
5. Add the ghee to the blended almond khoya mixture in the bowl followed by the soaked semolina and mix well.
6. Transfer this mixture to a heavy-bottomed pot or nonstick skillet and continue stirring over constant medium-low heat until the mixture slowly begins to bubble and thicken. Finally add saffron water (crushed saffron soaked in 1 tbsp hot water) and mix well. At this point, do not increase the flame or stop stirring as it could quickly burn at the bottom. Once it’s thick enough it will start to leave the edge. Therefore, it’s time to turn off the stove and stop cooking.
7. Grease a baking dish with ghee and pour the thickened halwa into it. Garnish the halwa with flaked almonds and melon seeds. And as a final touch, sprinkle some crushed saffron on top. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the layers on top and bottom begin to brown and the sweet scent of saffron fills the air.
8. As the halwa bakes in the oven, it will slowly start browning on the top and bottom and the sides will become crispy and crunchy, which is the best thing about halwa. Once this magic occurs, it is a sign that the halwa is cooked just right and should not be left in the oven any longer as darkening too much will give it a bitter taste.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
10. You can decorate the halwa with silver paper and serve it warm to your guests for dessert. You can also warm it in the microwave just before serving. Enjoy!
Notes:
1. Please weigh all the ingredients correctly to get the delicious taste of Chennai’s Basha Halwa
2. Finely grind the almonds with sugar to avoid lumps and get a dry almond powder
3. Mix the khoya with sugar too to get a smooth consistency.
4. By pulsing the semolina with the other ingredients, the gritty texture of the semolina is lost and the Dum Ka Rote takes on a pasty consistency which we don’t want.
5. It tastes delicious when the top layer and sides become brown and crispy.
6. Please check the melon seeds and remove the discolored ones before garnishing the halwa.
7. This halwa should be served warm so that it can be enjoyed well.
8. Store the leftover halwa in the refrigerator and warm it in the microwave before eating.
Recipe
Dark halwa
This is a very popular Halwa in Chennai, India which is known by its name “Dum Ka Rote”. It is essentially a baked semolina pudding made from ground almonds, semolina, ghee, khoya (reduced milk solids) and saffron.
equipment
-
A saucepan, a food processor, a wooden spatula, a silicone scraper and a baking pan.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 100 grams Coarse semolina
- 250 grams Unsweetened Khoya (Dried Milk Solids)
- 350 grams Sugar
- 250 grams Ghee 250g + 1 tbsp
- 165 grams (1 cup) Whole almonds
- 1/2 cup Almonds and cashews chopped or sliced for garnish
- 2 tbs Melon seeds for garnish
- 1/8 TL Saffron
- 1 cup Half and half/whole milk for soaking semolina
- 1-2 tbs Hot water for soaking saffron
Instructions
Instructions:
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Soak the semolina in 1 cup half-milk or whole milk until well soaked, 10 minutes.
-
Grind the almonds with half the sugar in the food processor until a fine powder is formed. Place in a bowl.
-
Cut the unsweetened khoya (nanak khoya or bapu ka khoya) into small cubes. Pulse and puree in the food processor with the remaining sugar until a powder forms. Add everything to the bowl with the ground almonds.
-
Soak the semolina in milk and stir well with a whisk or spatula so that everything mixes well without forming lumps. To get the desired grainy texture, it is recommended to mix the mixture manually. By pulsing it with the other ingredients, the gritty texture of the semolina is lost and the Dum Ka Rote takes on a paste-like consistency.
-
Add the ghee to the blended almond khoya mixture in the bowl followed by the soaked semolina and mix well.
-
Transfer this mixture to a heavy-bottomed pot or nonstick skillet and continue stirring over constant medium-low heat until the mixture slowly begins to bubble and thicken. Finally add saffron water (crushed saffron soaked in 1 tbsp hot water) and mix well. At this point, do not increase the flame or stop stirring as it could quickly burn at the bottom. Once it’s thick enough it will start to leave the edge. Therefore, it’s time to turn off the stove and stop cooking.
-
Grease a baking dish with ghee and pour the thickened halwa into it. Garnish the halwa with flaked almonds and melon seeds. And as a final touch, sprinkle some crushed saffron on top. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the layers on top and bottom begin to brown and the sweet scent of saffron fills the air.
-
As the halwa bakes in the oven, it slowly starts browning on the top and bottom and the sides become crispy and crunchy, which is the best thing about halwa. Once this magic occurs, it is a sign that the halwa is cooked just right and should not be left in the oven any longer as darkening too much will give it a bitter taste.
-
Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
-
You can decorate the halwa with silver paper and serve it warm to your guests for dessert. You can also warm it in the microwave just before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
1. Please weigh all the ingredients correctly to get the delicious taste, like the halwa of Chennai Basha
2. Finely grind the almonds with sugar to avoid lumps and get a dry almond powder
3. Mix the khoya with sugar to get a smooth consistency.
4. By pulsing the semolina with the other ingredients, the gritty texture of the semolina is lost and the Dum Ka Rote takes on a pasty consistency which we don’t want.
5. It tastes delicious when the top layer and sides become brown and crispy.
6. Please check the melon seeds and remove the discolored ones before garnishing the halwa.
7. This halwa should be served warm so that it can be enjoyed well.
8. Store the leftover halwa in the refrigerator and warm it in the microwave before eating.
Print recipe
Pin recipe
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook