Mango Halwa

Many a times just a little tweaking can transform a local staple into a universal delight. Here I have taken the much loved sooji halwa ( sweet sheera ) and used fresh mango pulp to turn this into a dessert most westerners go into raptures over. The trick is to not add too much sugar and allow the sweetness of the mango and the flavours of keasr ( saffron) , elaichi ( cardamom) and ofcourse the seductive fragrance of the mango to take over. 

Serves 4

v  ¾  cup semolina

v  1 cup boiling water

v  ½ cup mango pulp (sweet)

v  2 tblsp butter

v  2 green cardamoms crushed

v  8-10 strands saffron

v  Nuts and saffron for garnishing

In a heavy bottomed pan heat melt butter. Add in the semolina and roast on a slow flame till the semolina turns a pinkish shade.Crush the cardamom pods and discard the skins. In a large spoon, place the saffron strands and place the spoon over a very low flame till the spoon is well heated. Carefully move the saffron around till it feels a little hard. Take away from the heat and crush along with the cardamom. Add the boiling water to the semolina, add the crushed cardamom and saffron. As the semolina absorbs the water, add the mango pulp , cover and cook for 5 minutes on a very low flame.

When serving , warm the Mango Halwa , using an ice cream scoop serve the halwa in a small bowl, top with chopped nuts and saffron. Serve with fresh cream on the side.