Friday, 16 August 2013

Almonds have long been refered as epitome of wellness and health. This nut is a native to middle east and south asia. It is the richest source of health benefiting nutrients essential for optimum health. I can't find anyone who is unknown to the health benefits of almond. This nut is taken raw in seeded form or its oil is extracted which is applied externally or is even used in cooking. This time i tried making halwa out of almond which is very rich and heavy as after taking 2-3 tbs i was feeling full. So one can imagine how rich it could  be. This recipe can be served as a dessert after meal or can be served as a side dish during any snack party.
It takes 15 minutes of cooking and very few ingredients are used in its preparation.

Lets look at the ingredients used:-


  1. Almonds (1 cup soaked)
  2. Water (1 cup)
  3. Sugar as per taste
  4. Ghee 2tbs
  5. Raisins and cashew to garnish








Step by step process of cooking:-

Soak the almonds for about 5-6 hours so that there cover becomes soft and can be removed easily. Peel off the cover. If one is short of time, then one can use almonds in dry form and the soaking step can be skiped, but the taste and texture would be different.


After that in a grinder make the paste of peeled almonds, add little water to form a smooth paste. It can be seen in the image below. Then take a pan, heat ghee and add the almond paste in it. Fry the paste in the ghee and one must keep the stove on low or medium flame to avoid burning of the mixture. About 1 cup water is added to get a fine consistency at this stage.


After the mixture starts leaving the sides, add sugar and other nuts which is optional as per taste. I used rasins and cashew.


Stir in the mixture for sometime till all the flavours get well incorporated and release their aroma. It can be enjoyed with a glass of milk or as a dessert after a meal. Serve it hot and enjoy its taste.



Benefits of Almonds:-
  1. They lower the bad cholesterol level.
  2. Phosporus in almonds help to make teeth and bones strong.
  3. They provide good brain function as it contain riboflavin and L-cartinine.
  4. They protect artery walls from damage.
  5. Almonds are the only nuts and one of the few protiens which alkalize the body. 




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