Ingredients:

• 2 cups – Chana dal
• 2 cups – Sugar
• 3 cups – Milk powder
• 50g – Pistachios
• 20 Cardamom seeds, crushed
• 50g – Almonds
• 1.5 cup – Ghee
• Silver work for decoration, optional

Method:

1. Drain the soaked lentil and wash well.
2. Place lentil in a saucepan.
3. Add water and boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
4. Lower the heat and boil for another half an hour or until tender and all the water from the lentil has evaporated.
5. In a chopper or food processor, grind the lentil to a smooth paste.
6. Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan.
7. Add cardamom seeds, stirring it the entire time. Fry it for a few seconds.
8. Add lentil, sugar, and milk powder, stirring continuously.
9. Fry the mixture until ghee is first absorbed by the lentil and then released.
10. The halwa is ready when the ghee begins to separate and the colour changes to light brown in about 25 to 30 minutes.
11. Transfer the halwa to a tray or a baking sheet.
12. Spread it out into a thickness of no more than 1/2 inch.
13. Leave it to cool down.
14. Cut it into squares or diamonds as soon as it begins to set. Leave it to cool completely for several hours.
15. Decorate with silver work, sliced pistachios, and almonds.
16. Lift off the halwa with a spatula and arrange on a serving dish.