Gluten Free Navratri Prasad (Besan Halwa, Channa, GF Poori)
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This is the first βnewβ entry for the new home of my blog. Given the blessings in our life, I want to say thank you to God and given we just had Ashtami, this is an entry for the prasad we serve on pooja day. I moved to a gluten free diet several years ago and one of the things I used to miss the most was halwa. Would make it for the family and friends but would have very little of it myself. My husband was the one who would urge me to try out something gluten free and I was always scared of going against tradition. But a couple of years back, I tried this besan halwa and have never looked back. It is a staple for pooja at our place, loved by one and all.
Besan halwa is quite similar to sooji halwa in the steps that are carried out for its preparation but the proportions of ingredients and time taken are different. In addition to the usual cardamom to flavor the halwa, I also use saffron in the sugar syrup - it gives a lovely golden color to the Halwa. Flecked with raisins and soaked sliced almonds, this halwa is sheer delight and an indulgence in every bite.
For the channa, my go to recipe is the one here. It makes delicious channa, with specks of ginger and spices covering each bite - a warm hug of flavor. In order to make GF poori, I substitute 1 cup Bobβs Red Mill (1-1) GF baking flour + 1 tsp xantham gum for every cup of atta. Knead into a soft dough - this requires less water than a typical whole wheat dough for chapati/poori. Rest all is the same. Form into little balls, roll them out into pooris and fry away!
Ingredients
Besan Halwa
- 1 cup besan
- 1.25 cups granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup ghee
- 2 cups water
- 3-4 green cardamom pods
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 15 almonds, soaked overnight, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup raisins
Gluten Free Poori
- 1 cup Bob's Red Mill (1-1) Baking Flour
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp xantham gum
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi / fresh methi leaves (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds
Instructions
- 1
Dry roast the besan over very low heat for 8-10 minutes until you can smell the aroma of roasted besan wafting through the kitchen. Make sure you keep stirring it all the time to distribute the heat evenly. Then add the ghee and roast over very low fire till the besan is evenly roasted to a light brown color. Stirring continuously is very important to ensure it gets roasted evenly.
- 2
While the besan is cooking, make a syrup by boiling the sugar, water and cardamom and saffron for about 5 minutes over high heat in a covered pan till all the sugar is dissolved and the cardamom flavor seeps through the golden tinted syrup.
- 3
When the besan has cooked through - you can see the change of color and the roasted aroma is unmistakable, add the sugar syrup and stir vigorously over medium heat uncovered till the mixture becomes uniform and lump free. If you continue to see some lumps, switch to a metal whisk to smoothen the mixture. As you keep stirring, the halwa begins to thicken and starts to leave the sides of the pan. Add raisins at this stage. Keep stirring continuously to ensure even cooking. Halwa will be done when it has a thick consistency and has fully left the sides of the pan.
- 4
When the halwa is done, add 2/3 of the sliced almonds to the halwa and stir to combine throughout. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the remaining almonds on top as a garnish.
To make Pooris, combine all the ingredients to make a soft dough. Keep for 15 minutes and knead again to make it uniform and smooth. Divide into small balls and roll into pooris and fry in medium hot oil.
Notes & Tips
The adding of sugar syrup and mixing to make a lump free batter is a critical step that needs to happen quickly and may need a tool other than your regular spatula to get the job done. Once the halwa is smooth, just continue to cook till it dries up and leaves the sides of the pan.
The amount of ghee needed in the recipe depends on the type of besan as well. The qty indicated here is what works for the brands I usually buy. If after adding ghee to the dry roasted besan, it still seems dry, add another tablespoon till it becomes a smooth mixture, easy to stir.
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