Halva can be either flour based, or nuts and seeds based. This Indian version of halva is made from farina, or Cream of Wheat. It’s usually made on the stovetop and comes together quickly but it is finicky. If you’ve never seen someone make it, it’s not always clear when to proceed to the next step.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Ghee, melted, plus more for greasing
- 3 or 4 saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup farina (Cream of Wheat)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2¼ cups water
- Golden or dark raisins, for serving
How to Make It
- Grease a 6 × 4-inch baking pan with ghee.
- Use a mortar and pestle to grind together the saffron and the 1 teaspoon sugar.
- In a small bowl, stir together the saffron-sugar mixture, farina, the ½ cup sugar, and the cardamom. Add ¾ cup of the water and the melted ghee. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Pour the remaining 1½ cups water into the Instant Pot. Place a steamer rack in the pot. Place the pan on the rack.
- Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Select manual and set the pot at high pressure for 5 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, allow the pot to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Using silicone oven mitts, remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot. Use a fork or spoon to fluff and stir the halva to evenly distribute the cardamom and saffron. (As you stir, you’ll see the grains start to separate and the halva will take on a yellow-orange tinge from the saffron.)
- When the halva has been broken up and the spices are mixed in, it is ready to serve. Serve topped with raisins.
