Banana Halwa

The Naivedyam Way

The time has come for day-long fasting, chanting, and offerings of ‘prasad’. In the southern states, ‘Prasadam’ or ‘Naivedyam’ often includes halwa cooked with various fruits. Raw banana halwa is a delicious dish, any time of the year. Verka Milk and Verka Desi Ghee lend a wonderful flavour to its smooth and creamy texture.

Ingredients

• 3 – 4 Raw bananas (300 gms, without skin)
• 150 gm sugar (¾ cup)
• 5½ – 6 tbsp Verka Ghee
• 1½ cup Verka Whole Milk
• 12 each, cashew nuts and almonds
• 18 raisins
• ½ tsp ‘elaichi’ powder

Method

• Wash the bananas well and pressure cook them with 1 cup of water. (with the skin still on)
• Cook for one whistle, turn off the flame, and shift them to a plate. Peel when cool.
• Chop the cashew nuts and almonds and keep aside with the raisins.
• Use a fork to finely mash the cooled bananas.
• Heat Verka Ghee in a wide pan and tip the mashed fruit into it. Cook on a low flame till it is slightly brown and the ghee separates out.
• Add Verka Milk and sugar and simmer till the mixture thickens in consistency.
• Add ‘elaichi’ powder and cook further.
• Grease a foil sheet, lay it out on a tray, and tranfer the warm mixture on it.
• Level well and garnish with the chopped nuts and raisins. Press them in with your palm.
• Cool further and cut into pieces before serving.

Note: Grated ‘gur’ can replace sugar in this recipe. If you don’t want to make a firm halwa to cut into pieces, simply make a fluid mixture and stop cooking before it thickens too much. Then serve this hot delight in small bowls with a topping of nuts.