Bombay and Kerala halwa

Raw materials
Fractions of grain, particularly wheat starch, ghee/oil and sugar are the main ingredients. Carrot grates are needed for preparing carrot halwa. The optional ingredients are jaggery, flavouring and colouring items, milk and pieces of nuts and dry fruits. Coconut milk and lemon juice are sometimes used during preparation. Various nuts and their pieces like almond and cashew nuts, and saffron and cardamom are also used to improve consumer acceptability and as decorating items on the top of the prepared halwa. Permitted food colours are also added on some occasions for consumer attraction.

Method of preparation
The whole wheat flour is mixed with enough water to separate the formed gluten protein. The separated starch is then heated in sucrose solution, allowed to cool and set to a firm gel, and cut into the desired size, mostly as bars or cuboids of Bombay or Kerala halwa (Figure 1.2.2). 

Whole wheat flour (atta) or refined wheat flour (maida) is the starting raw material for the preparation of Bombay halwa. A paste is prepared by adding water and allowing particles to settle. The sticky mass of gluten is separated when the precipitated white-coloured starch is obtained. In some cases, the wet mass is allowed to ferment. The mass is then boiled and mixed with other ingredients. The mass is allowed to cool after pouring it on oil-greased plates. The solidified mass is cut required to size and shape. Sucrose alternatives can also be used instead of sugar. The product has a short shelf-life of only a few days. The sugar and moisture contents of the finished products are important factors for texture and shelf-life of the prepared products.

Apart from the conventional halwa, special halwas are also prepared. These are pumpkin halwa, atte ka halwa, beetroot and carrot halwa, and shahi badam halwa. These special halwas may have specific shapes like cuboids in the case of Bombay halwa. On rare occasions, milk, khoa or concentrated milk is added. Halwa is also made using carrot gratings to prepare carrot halwa. 

Halubai is a product close to Bombay halwa. Halubai, also called halbai and halubaayi, is a traditional Indian sweet popular in the Western part of South India. The product is prepared and served during religious and social functions. It is a simple and easy-to-prepare process. The commonly used ingredients are rice, jaggery, ghee and coconut. The soaked rice is mixed and ground to a fine paste; sieving is done to remove the lumps. It is then heated along with stirring. The completion of cooking or gelatinisation is marked by a rise in the viscosity of the batter. Then, jaggery lump/paste, ghee and coconut gratings are added and heating is continued for a few minutes. The hot product is poured on a ghee-smeared metal plate, and the top surface of the poured item is marginally flattened by pressing gently, and the same is allowed to cool and set. On setting (solidification), the product is cut into small pieces like a burfi. Millets like ragi and cereal/millet grits in place of rice kernels, sugar instead of jaggery, and oil instead of ghee are also used. Optional flavouring items like cardamom and cloves, and pieces of dried fruits/nuts like raisin and cashew nuts are added to improve consumer acceptability. A well-set product has a slightly chewy semi-soft texture. The product has a shelf-life of 3-7 days at ambient temperature. Ragi (finger millet) halubaayi can also be prepared in a similar manner. In some preparation processes, rice grains are soaked in water followed by wet grinding. The paste is heated and mixed with ghee followed by mixing, and allowed to cool and set, and then cut into the required shape and size. The addition of fine coconut gratings and coconut milk near the end of the cooking process can improve the acceptability of the finished product.  

Preparation of carrot halwa (also called gajar ka halwa) includes cleaning carrots with water, peeling and grating. The other ingredients used are milk, khoa, sugar, ghee, cardamom powder, and dry nuts like cashew nuts, almonds and pistachios. Alternatively, grated carrots are blanched in boiling water. Often the grated carrots are cooked in ghee for a few minutes Grated carrots are cooked in water at atmospheric pressure when the raw smell of carrot disappears. Milk is then added and heating is continued for a while for completion of the cooking process till the sample becomes enough thick. Sugar and other additives like khoa, cardamom, ghee and nuts are then added. The material is well mixed and allowed to cool. The semi-solid mass having a bright yellow or orange colour has a shelf-life of 3 to 4 days at room temperature while refrigerated storage can increase the shelf-life by two times. The protein and fat contents of conventional carrot halwa are 9 and 20%, respectively. Frozen carrot halwa is possible. 

Kerala halwa is close to Bombay halwa considering the method of preparation. It is also a typical starch gel but has a dark colour due to the use of traditionally prepared dark-coloured jaggery instead of sugar. Coconut oil is generally used instead of ghee or other cooking oils. Usually, no colour is added in this product. Kerala halwa is prepared from rice, jaggery and coconut milk. Though it is made during festivals, the product is also available in several South Indian states throughout the year. The narrow shelf-life of only a few days is a technical limitation of the product for wide use and marketting.   

Machinery
Cleaning and sieving machines, a mixer, a steam-jacketted kettle with scrapping facility and packaging machines are required for the production of these special halwas.