Sohan halwa
 Sohan Halwa is traditionally made as circular discs | |
| Alternative names | Persian Sohan Halwa |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Afghanistan (Herat), Pakistan, India |
| Region or state | Herat - Afghanistan, Multan, Delhi, Punjab |
| Main ingredients | cornflour, sugar, milk, water |
| Variations | Almonds |
| Other information | Halva |
Sohan Halwa (Hindi: सोहन हलवा; Urdu سوہن حلوہ; [ˈsoːɦən ˈɦəlʋaː]) or Persian Sohan Halwa is a traditional dessert in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, which is a variety of dense, sweet confection or halwa and believed to be Persian in origin. In India Ghantewala Halwai is popular for Sohan Halwa since the Mughal era.
It is made by boiling a mixture of water, sugar, milk, and cornflour until it becomes solid. Saffron is used for flavoring. Ghee is used to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Almonds, pistachios and cardamom seeds are added. Unlike most other halwa dishes in South Asia, it is solid.
History
The Hafiz Halwa shop in Multan claims it was introduced by Dewan Sawan Mal, the ruler of Multan in 1750. However, it was invented in Herat region, which is located in present Afghanistan, and it was considered an ancient sweet served during social gatherings. [1]
S. Abdul Khaliq claim that this halwa was introduced in South Asia in the early 16th century when Mughal emperor Humayun (r. 1530–1540, 1555–1556) came back to power in India after being exiled in Herat Province, which was the capital of Persia. He called for the makers of this halwa from Persia and the ancestors of modern-day S.Abdul Khaliq were the official halwa makers for the Mughal rulers for 300 years. S.Abdul Khaliq also have the term, "Shahi Halwa Sohan Merchants" as part of their branding.
In Old Delhi, the 225-year-old Ghantewala sweet shop established during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, (r. 1759 - 1806) in 1790, made Sohan Halwa, and remained a popular visitors attraction[2][3] till its closure due to a lack of profitability hit the news July 23, 2015.[4]
Commercial production
Sohan has been commercially produced by traditional confectioners for decades. It is brittle and caramel in color. It is usually made into disks of 5-6mm thickness or as square bite-size pieces. It is usually packaged in intricately designed tin cylinders. In recent years other packages have also been common.[5]
See also
References
- ^ http://www.hafizhalwa.com Hafiz Ka Multani Sohan Halwa
- ^ Ghantewala in Delhi Lonely Planet
- ^ The royal treat in Chandni Chowk The Hindu, Nov 07, 2002. Archived July 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Ghantewala: Why did Delhi's 'oldest sweet shop' shut down?
- ^
Ramazani, Nesta (1997). Persian Cooking: A Table Of Exotic Delights. Ibex Publishers, Inc. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-936347-77-6.
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