Badam Halwa Recipe

     I remember tasting badam halwa only in marriages...That lovely butter paper wrap containing a single serving of halwa placed on banana leaf in the marriages is a bliss !!!  
     We have not tried badam halwa at home before. My MIL made this delicious sweet and sent it through my mom to USA. Thats when I tasted badam halwa at home. It was definitely yummier than the versions I had tasted before. Ever since the last spoon of halwa was over, I was craving for it so badly. Mom tried it on a small scale, getting the recipe from MIL. Even then I had an unquenchable greedy craving for some more of it. 
     My MIL and FIL are here with us this summer. I wanted to taste this yummy sweet again and was very eager to see how to make it. So I had asked her to make it sometime. Everyone went for shopping to Costco on a weekend and bought a big bag of Kirkland Almonds :P Right on the same day, she made this halwa for us and also for some of our friends. It took a lot of self restraint to not eat the Halwa while taking the pictures !!!! and waiting for the halwa to cool down to room temperature seemed like I had been waiting for ages :D

Prep Time: 30 mins || Cook Time: 25 mins || Yields: nearly 1.2 - 1.5 kg || Category: Sweet/Dessert 

Ingredients:
1. Almonds - 500 gm
2. Sugar - equal quantity as that of the ground almonds
3. Ghee - 500 gm
4. Saffron - few strands

Method:
1. To blanch the almonds,boil water and immerse the almonds in it. Let it sit in the boiling water for 2-3 mins. Switch off the flame and drain the water. Keep the badams immersed in cold water (tap water) for a min or two and then peel its skin. 

2. Grind the peeled almonds in mixi with some water to a crumbled state. Then transfer the semi-ground almonds to grinder and grind it to a very smooth paste adding some water as and when needed.

3. Take the badam paste in a heavy bottomed vessel. Measure sugar equal to the amount of ground badam paste and add the entire sugar, saffron to it and stir well. Switch on the flame and keep it in medium. The sugar will start to dissolve slowly. Keep stirring for 5-8 mins. 

4. Pour 1/4 amount of ghee initially. Cook for 10-12 mins with constant stirring and intermediately adding 1/2 the amount of ghee. The mixture will slowly attain yellow colour from saffron and ghee. Bubbles start to appear and it will splutter. Cook for 2-3 mins and then switch off the stove and pour the 1/4 portion of the ghee and mix well. If required, switch on the stove and cook for 2 mins with constant stirring.

Suggestions:

• Blanching the almonds helps to peel off the skins easily, without soaking it for 3-4 hours.
• If a more yellowish colour is required, a pinch of yellow food colour can be added. I do not prefer adding artificial food colour. So, I have left it as such with the natural colour given by saffron. 
• Adding milk will reduce the shelf life of the halwa. Hence, I have not added it. 
• Cardamom powder, condensed milk etc can be added if desired. As I wanted the original taste of badam halwa, I skipped these two ingredients. 
• Keep refrigerated if longer shelf life is needed.

Stays good for 4-5 days in room temperature and for 10-15 days when refrigerated.