Halbai

Hi,
Did you solve the puzzle? Well the children were baffled as their father had left them 17 camels and they were not supposed to kill any of them! Along came a family friend, who offered one of his camels to resolve their dillema. So the elder one took half of 18, that is 9 camels. The middle one got 6 camels and the youngest got 2. The remaining camel was promptly returned to the family friend!

Some of my friends have been asking me for sweet recipes. So here goes girls :) This dish is called Halbai, Halubai or Halabai. It is a type of halwa/burfi combo which is prepared from wheat or raagi.

Ingredients:
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1. Wheat flour / Atta - half kg or 2 cups (Alternately you could use raagi flour here)
2. Sugar - half kg or 2 cups
3. Milk - 1 glass - 150 ml
4. Grated coconut - 1 half of a coconut / 1 cup
5. Ghee - clarified butter - 2 tablespoons
6. Cardmom - 2 coarsely powdered
7. Cloves - 1 or 2 coarsely powdered
8. Dry fruits of your choice - 10 to 15 grams

Tools:
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1. A seive
2. A heavy bottom pan / non stick pan
3. Karchi / Magucho kai
4. A plate greased with ghee

Method of preparation:
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1. Soak the wheat flour in just enough water for an hour. Alternately you could use wheat soaked for 2-3 hours.
2. Grind the soaked wheat flour (or wheat) in just enough water and strain it through a seive to ensure that there are no lumps or bigger particles in the mix.
3. Grind the coconut in a little water and strain it through a seive to collect the coconut milk.
4. Take the wheat mixture in a non stick pan. Add milk, sugar, coconut milk, cardomom and clove powder to this and mix it.
5. Place the pan on medium heat and cook stirring continuously.
6. After it cooks for about 5 minutes, add the ghee and dry fruits of your choice and keep stirring it, till the mixture turns into a ball and starts leaving the edges.
7. Remove from heat and spread the mixture onto a plate greased with ghee.
8. After it cools down a bit, cut into shapes of your choice and relish it!
This can be stored for a couple of days.

You can use raagi flour instead of wheat in the same recipe. Try this and let me know your feedback :)

Happy cooking!
Priya