Auntie’s Arabic Halva

Let me say it from the start: don’t expect a firm halva from this recipe.

But I can say with confidence that you won’t find this halva’s incomparable flavour in any other. Maybe that’s partly because it carries me back to a string of colourful, sweet, happy memories from my grandmother’s house — the sofreh would be spread, everyone brought an appetizer, a dish or a dessert, and all of us, young and old, would sit together around one table.

Auntie’s Arabic Halva

A soft, saffron-and-rosewater halva from my aunt’s kitchen — don’t expect it firm; expect a flavour you won’t find in any other halva.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 level cup frying oil mixed with butter let the butter melt first, then mix it into the oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water and rosewater, mixed
• 1/2 tsp ground saffron
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Method

 

1. Start by toasting the flour in the pre-heated oil over gentle heat until golden, then set it aside to cool. You’ll know it’s ready when, if you stop stirring even for a few moments, the flour settles and starts to catch on the bottom. Every lump of flour must be blended into the oil — not a single lump left behind.
2. Meanwhile, put the water and sugar over the heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the saffron, cardamom and rosewater, then take the syrup off the heat.
3. Turn the flame down low. Add the syrup to the toasted flour a little at a time, stirring until they fully take each other in.
4. Keep the halva on the heat until you see it pull away from the pan. I’ll say it again — don’t expect a firm halva; as you can see in the photos, it sets semi-soft.

Notes

Important: keep stirring in one direction only. After pouring in the syrup, don’t stir for more than 5 minutes or the halva will firm up too much. And remember: the more water and the less sugar, the firmer the halva — and vice versa. I hope you enjoy its one-of-a-kind flavour.