Chik-Cha Halwa

5 from 1 vote

Chik-cha halwa, a nutty, coconutty sweet scented with cardamom and saffron, is eaten by India's Bene Israel community to celebrate the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah. It's a simple recipe with just a few ingredients, but it's big on flavor and easy to make! Recipe is gluten-free and soy-free and it can easily be made nut-free.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 146kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Heavy bottomed saucepan
8 X 8 baking dish

Ingredients

1¼ cups cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
1 cup oat milk
14 oz coconut milk (stir before using)
¼ teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup nuts (roasted almonds, cashews, pistachios and walnuts are all good choices. You can use just one kind or a mix).

Instructions

Place sugar, cornstarch and oat milk in saucepan. Whisk together until smooth, then add the coconut milk and whisk again. Place the saucepan over low heat. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken. There could be some small lumps but don't worry, they will disappear.
Stir in the cardamom, saffron and vanilla and whisk them in. As the mixture thickens, stir in the nuts and continue to whisk. You can reserve some nuts to scatter over the top of the halwa, if you wish.
After 10-15 minutes of whisking the mixture will be very thick - if you scoop up a bit with the whisk it should cling to the whisk and not drop off. Turn off the heat. Scoop out the chik-cha halwa mixture into a baking dish or cake pan that has been lined with parchment and then greased.
Smooth the top - I do this by pressing lightly on it with another piece of parchment paper. Scatter more nuts over the top and press them into the halwa with your fingers. After the halwa has cooled down, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate several hours so it continues to firm up. Slice into squares and serve.

Nutrition