One of the richest and most decadent Indian desserts is moong dal halwa, a sweet made with yellow split lentils (moong dal), sugar, ghee, and aromatic spices like cardamom. Apt for festivals and weddings, this traditional dish has an intense flavour combined with an indulgent melt-in-the-mouth texture. To make it, one must soak the moong dal for about hours and grind it into a coarse paste. This paste is then fried in loads of ghee on low heat until it turns golden brown, and the aroma gives a nutty smell. The slow-cooked dal in ghee gives the halwa its characteristic grainy texture without becoming mushy. After cooking the dal, sugar is added and stirred until all the sugar dissolves along with the dal. At this point, when the halwa has thickened sufficiently, cardamom powder is added, with some recipes also adding saffron or milk to enrich the flavour further. The final product is this delectable golden-brown halwa surrounded with very thin slices of almonds, cashews, or pistachios for added crunch in every mouthful. Moong dal halwa is usually relished hot. It is enjoyed more because of the perfect balance of sweetness and richness from ghee. The preparation takes a long time, but due to its unique taste and texture, it still remains a favourite, especially during cold winter months when people appreciate its warmth and richness.

• 1 cup split yellow moong dal
• 1 cup ghee
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsps cardamom powder
• Few strands saffron strands
• Chopped almonds
• Chopped pistachios
• Few chopped cashews

• To prepare moong dal halwa, firstly wash 200 gms of split yellow moong dal in water and soak it for about 4-5 hours or overnight. The dal will become soft; therefore, it can be easily crushed and will be great for the preparation of this halwa.
• Once the dal is soaked, drain out all the water entirely from it and transfer the soaked moong dal to a mixer grinder. Grind the dal to a coarse paste without using any water. The coarse texture is vital for the halwa because that's where the grainy texture characteristic of this dessert comes from.
• Now, in a heavy-bottomed pan, heat one cup or 200 gms of ghee over medium flame.
• Once the ghee has melted and got hot, add the ground moong dal paste to the pan.
• Stir constantly to prevent the dal from sticking to the pan's bottom. It should be cooked over low to medium flame for uniform browning of dal. The dal must be cooked until it turns deep golden brown and emits a pleasant nutty aroma. This process takes nearly 20-25 minutes, and patience is the virtue needed because an overly hastened process affects the texture of the final dish.
• Preparing the sugar syrup Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup.
• In another pan, take a cup or 200 gms of sugar and a cup or 250 ml of water.
• Heat this mixture over a medium flame and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Once the sugar dissolves, bring the syrup to a boil.
• At this stage, add 1/4 Tsp of cardamom powder along with a few strands of saffron to the syrup. Cardamom adds an aromatic fragrance to the halwa, while saffron provides colour and a different flavour to the halwa. Let the syrup cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer so that the flavours intermingle well.
• Once done, add the syrup prepared into the pan and slowly pour it over the cooked moong dal; this requires stirring continuously to avoid lump formation. Take it on low flame; keep on stirring and let the mixture thicken, sticking well to the ghee at the edges of the pan. This would take about 10-15 minutes. The halwa is ready with a rich, thick consistency and a glossy finish because of the ghee.
• Now, garnish the halwa with the chopped almonds, pistachios, and cashews to present the whole dish. These nuts add a lot of crunchy pleasure to the dish while enhancing the flavour to the hilt. This, once again, is apt for being served hot or even at room temperature. This rich and fragrant dessert is a must-be-tied affair with special occasions for its delighting array of flavours and textures.