You will find that this halwa is made only on special occasions due to the lengthy, laborious process. Moong Dal is soaked overnight and then ground to a paste. Then it is cooked along with ghee for a long time with a lot of stirring (easily more than an hour) until the dal is cooked and changes to a nice golden color. Then, the outcome is the delicious rich moong dal halwa soaked in ghee. I frankly don’t have the patience for that, so in the past, I would altogether avoid making this halwa. But now I have the easy version of the halwa made by first cooking the lentils in the pressure cooker. Then mix it with ghee and cook further to get the perfect halwa taste and texture. We love to make this moong dal sheera on special occasions such as Diwali and Holi. A note to the authentic halwa lovers. This halwa is pretty darn close to the real deal, Moong Dal Halwa, but it still may not be exactly the same. My family loves it and wants to eat more all the time, and I am happy that it can be made so easily without as much effort.
What is Moong Dal Halwa?
Halwa is usually made of flour (of various kinds), sugar, nuts, water, and some fat (oil or ghee). e.g., Sooji Halwa (semolina), Aata Halwa (wheat flour), Besan Halwa (gram flour), Lapsi (broken wheat), and Badam halwa (almonds). This Moong Dal Halwa skips the flour and is made with small yellow lentils, called moong dal. This also makes this halwa gluten-free. This is the dal I use in this Moong Dal Fry and Moong Dal Chilla. All the other ingredients – sugar, water, nuts, and ghee, are added to the moong dal to make this Moong Dal Halwa. To enhance the flavor, add ground cardamom and saffron.
Ingredients
How to make Moong Dal Halwa?
We will start with dry roasting the moong dal. Then we will add water and pressure cook the dal. After the dal is pressure-cooked, you will see well-cooked moong dal, which looks like a paste. Now, we will add sugar and ghee. I like to use homemade ghee that I make in the instant pot. We seem to be adding a lot of ghee here, but that is required to make good moong dal halwa. So don’t skimp on the ghee, or you won’t enjoy it! Also, add saffron strands soaked in warm milk and cardamom powder at this time.
Then, stir it for about 10 minutes on saute mode to get the well-cooked Halwa consistency. This stirring time is much less than the traditional method, and even though it is an arm workout, I promise it is much less. Make sure to get a nice golden color. Halwa is done well when ghee starts to separate. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot so the halwa does not stick to the base.
That is all. See that awesome, delicious Moong Dal Halwa, which took much less effort. Ghee: For the finest results, make this halwa with ghee. Sugar: Granulated White Sugar adds a sweet flavor and a desirable texture to the halwa. Adjust the sweetness of the halwa to your preference. Cardamom Powder: Green cardamom powder can be added to the halwa for a mild, sweet scent and flavor. Saffron & Milk: Soak saffron in warm milk. This adds flavor and aroma to the halwa. I feel with this method, this halwa is much more reachable, and we can enjoy it more often. This halwa is best enjoyed warm. Garnish with slivered almonds, pistachios, or cashews.
Pro-tips for perfect Moong Dal Halwa in Pressure Cooker
If you have a separate sealing ring for desserts, do use that when making this halwa. It is important to roast the dal well to get the nice golden color of this halwa. Don’t skimp on the ghee when making halwa. If you are consuming all the calories when eating this dessert, it is best to enjoy it the most too. After adding ghee and sugar, keep stirring and scraping the bottom when sautéing the halwa. Once the halwa is cooked, remove the steel insert from the pot to prevent the halwa from sticking to the base.
Refrigerating and Reheating Halwa
This halwa can be refrigerated in an airtight container and will stay good for about a week. It becomes solid when you refrigerate as it has lots of ghee. To reheat the halwa, put the portion you want to eat in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds. If you are heating the whole quantity, you might need to microwave for about a minute. Or you can heat it in a pan.
Common Questions
I hope you give this delicious Instant Moong Dal ka Halwa a try!
More Halwa Recipes You’ll Love
Pumpkin Halwa: A gluten-free halwa made with pumpkin. Sooji ka Halwa (Semolina pudding): The halwa tastes divine and takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Instant Pot Carrot Halwa: Made with freshly grated carrots, this halwa is a healthier version with added almond flour. Atta Halwa: Also known as wheat halwa, this is a famous Indian dessert prepared with whole wheat flour.
