Dates is one among the delicious and healthy halwa, but takes almost an hour to prepare. Compared to the health benefits, I would say its worth in making. Since the dates are sweet by nature, I have added less quantity of sugar but please be generous in Ghee/Clarified butter. Let me share the recipe…

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Dates Halwa

Dates Halwa

Ingredients:

• Dates (seedless) – ¼ kg
• Sugar – 4 tbsp
• Cashew nuts – 15 nos
• Almonds / Badam – 10 nos
• Ghee / Clarified butter – 1 ½ cups (1 cup = 160 ml)
• Cardamom Powder –  ½ tsp

Making of Dates Halwa / Perichampala Halwa –

Preparation:

• Use seedless dates, else remove the seeds off the dates. Break the cashew nuts into small pieces, blanch and chop the almonds/badams to small pieces.
• Soak the dates in a cup hot water for almost 30 mins, it would become soft, if not once heat the water with dates and let it rest for 20 mins or until it becomes soft.
• Grind the dates along with the water to a fine paste.
• Grease a tray with ghee/clarified butter and keep it aside.
• Heat a tbsp of ghee in a small vessel, add the chopped cashew nuts and almonds/badam and cook until they start turning golden brown in color.
• Heat a heavy bottomed vessel or a non-stick vessel, pour the ground dates mixture.
• Add the sugar, stir well until the sugar gets dissolved.
• Keep on stirring until the dates sugar mixture becomes little thick. Cook in medium flame.
• When it starts getting thicken, start drizzling ghee/clarified butter (two tsps. at a time) all over the corners.
• Keep on stirring, don’t leave stirring may be you can stir slowly.
• Meanwhile pour the roasted nuts along with ghee followed by cardamom powder and stir well.
• Keep on drizzling ghee/clarified butter at regular intervals, whenever the dates paste absorb the ghee/clarified butter.
• At one stage the dates would start oozing out the ghee/clarified butter, it means the Dates Halwa is ready.
• Transfer the halwa to the greased tray, wait until it reaches room temperature, and cut them to your desired shape.

Serve. Dates Halwa stays fresh for a week in room temperature, when stored in an air-tight container.