HALUA-PAPRI

Ingredients

• 470 g (approximately ½ seer) fine flour (plain / all-purpose flour) (A seer is a traditional South Asian unit of weight roughly equal to 933 g; ½ seer is approximately 470 g. Use plain (all-purpose) white flour.)
• 470 ml (approximately ½ seer) full-fat milk, brought to the boil then cooled slightly (Boil the milk first and allow it to cool to a warm, pourable temperature before use.)
• 1865 g (approximately 2 seers) white granulated sugar (Used to make a concentrated (thick) sugar syrup. 2 seers is approximately 1865 g.)
• 600 ml water (for making the sugar syrup) (Use just enough water to dissolve the sugar and cook it to a thick, concentrated syrup.)
• 933 g (approximately 1 seer or more) ghee (clarified butter) (1 seer is approximately 933 g. You may use slightly more if desired. Add gradually during cooking.)
• 1 pinch saffron strands (A pinch is a very small amount, roughly 10–15 strands. You may steep the saffron in a teaspoon of warm milk for a few minutes before adding for better colour.)
• 1 small quantity (seeds from a few pods) cardamom seeds (husks removed) (Use the seeds from approximately 4–6 green cardamom pods. Crush or leave whole as preferred.)
• 1 small handful (to taste) raisins (Add as many or as few as you like. The original recipe does not specify an exact quantity.)
• 1 small quantity (as desired) pistachios (as a paste or in pieces) (Use either coarsely chopped pistachio pieces or a rough paste made by grinding pistachios. The amount is left to personal preference.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the sugar (approximately 1865 g) and water (approximately 600 ml) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and allow the mixture to boil. Continue boiling, without stirring, until the syrup becomes thick and concentrated — it should feel noticeably sticky when a small drop is pressed between your fingers. This is your concentrated sugar syrup. Set it aside off the heat until needed. Tip: Keep a close eye on the syrup as it can burn quickly once it thickens.
2. 2Pour the full-fat milk (approximately 470 ml) into a clean saucepan and bring it to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming. Once boiled, remove from the heat and allow to cool until it is warm but still easily pourable. Set aside.
3. 3In a large, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai (wide, deep pan), combine the fine flour (approximately 470 g) with the warm boiled milk. Stir well until no lumps remain and you have a smooth, pourable batter. Place the pan over low to medium heat and begin to heat the mixture, stirring continuously. Do not leave the pan unattended — constant stirring is essential from this point forward to prevent the mixture from sticking or burning on the base of the pan. As the mixture heats, it will begin to thicken slowly.
4. 4Once the flour-and-milk mixture has been heating for several minutes and begins to show signs of thickening (it will start to pull away slightly from the sides of the pan), carefully pour in the concentrated sugar syrup you prepared in Step 1. Stir thoroughly to combine. Continue to stir constantly over low to medium heat. The mixture will loosen slightly when the syrup is added — this is normal. Keep stirring as it heats and thickens again.
5. 5When the mixture is partly thick — meaning it has thickened noticeably but is not yet solid or pulling away firmly from the pan — begin adding the ghee (approximately 933 g or more). Add it in small amounts, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring vigorously and continuously after each addition until each portion of ghee is fully absorbed before adding the next. This process takes patience but is important for the correct texture. The mixture will appear to resist the ghee at first, then gradually absorb it. Continue until all the ghee has been incorporated. The halua will become very glossy and will begin to come together as a mass.
6. 6Once all the ghee has been added and the mixture is thick and glossy, add the final flavourings. Stir in a pinch of saffron (if you have steeped the saffron in a teaspoon of warm milk beforehand, add the entire mixture), the seeds from a few cardamom pods, a small handful of raisins, and your pistachio pieces or paste (as much as you desire). Stir everything through evenly. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture becomes very thick — it should pull away cleanly from the sides and base of the pan and hold together as a dense, cohesive mass.
7. 7Remove the pan from the heat once the halua is very thick and no longer fluid. Working carefully as the mixture will be very hot, pour or spoon the halua into a flat, lightly greased dish or tray. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it out into an even, flat layer approximately 2–3 cm thick. Allow to cool completely at room temperature. Do not refrigerate at this stage — the halua needs to set naturally. Once cold and solid (this may take 1–2 hours), cut into cubes or squares of your preferred size using a sharp knife. Serve at room temperature.