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Halava the Great by Kurma Posted April 26, 2008
Here's the latest: Lanee from Melbourne writes: "Hello Kurma, could you kindly help with the recipe for: Apple & Pineapple Halava I had at Gopal's .
Also the custard they serve with it isn't the same as mine? (Custard Powder, sugar, milk). This is the best dessert ever. Cheers Lanee."
My reply: Yes, halava is certainly a popular recipe! When made in huge quantities and in a meditative state as the Gopal's cooks do, it always turns out quite differently than cooked in small quantities at home. Regarding the custard, it is just milk sugar and custard powder. Maybe you could ask them the brand of custard powder. Also they use powdered full cream milk, and I think they use a lot, so it is creamier than with regular milk. If you make it at home and whisk in some full cream milk powder to enrich it, you may get something similar ;) Apple and Pineapple Semolina Halava Pudding Semolina halava is the most popular dessert served at any of the Hare Krishna restaurants worldwide. This version of the famous hot, fluffy pudding with pineapple and apples rates high in the "halava-top-ten". I have cooked halava for 4 or 5 persons and for 1500 persons; either way, following the same basic steps yields equally stunning results. The secret of good halava is to roast the semolina very slowly for at least 20 minutes, with enough butter so as not to scorch the grains. Steam the finished halava over very low heat with a tight-fitting lid for 5 minutes to fully plump the semolina grains; then allow it to sit covered for another 5 minutes. Fluffy, plump grained halava is best served hot, on its own, or with a spoonful of cream or custard. Serves 6 - 8 persons, or a couple of halava addicts.
Combine the water and sugar in a 2-litre saucepan. Place over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to very low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Don't allow any water to evaporate from the syrup. Melt the butter or ghee in a 2- or 3-litre non-stick saucepan and over fairly low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the semolina. Slowly and rhythmically stir-fry the grains until they darken to a tan colour and become aromatic (about 20 minutes). Stirring more carefully towards the end, raise the heat under the grains. Raise the heat under the sugar water and bring the syrup to a rolling boil. Remove the saucepan of semolina and butter from the heat, slowly pouring the hot syrup into the semolina, stirring steadily. The grains may at first splutter, but will quickly cease as the liquid is absorbed. Return the pan to the stove and stir steadily over low heat until the grains fully absorb the liquid, start to form into a pudding-like consistency, and pull away from the sides of the pan. Place a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan and cook over the lowest possible heat for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat, fold in the two fruits and allow the halava to firm up, covered and off the heat, for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot in dessert bowls as it is, or with the toppings suggested above.
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One version of the recipe that Zoe is looking for, Banana Halavah, comes from the original cookbook The Hare Krishna Cookbook compiled by Krsna devi dasi and Sama devi dasi. My copy is from 1983 (a couple of years before I joined the movement) and is the sixth printing. This is a great cookbook. The recipe goes like this: Banana Halavah (Kela Halavah) page 61
Melt butter in a heavy skillet. Peel and cut bananas into 1 inch pieces.
Fry in butter 5-7 minutes on medium heat. Stir often and mash after they
have fried for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water. Simmer with care on low heat
for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir the sugar into the remaining 1 cup
water and add to the bananas. Boil gently 15 minutes. Stir often to
prevent scorching, and also to thicken mixture. Add rose water, remove and
pour into a shallow dish. Bruise the cardamom seeds and sprinkle on
halavah. Sliver the almonds, and sprinkle enough saffron to colour the
halavah golden. Offer hot or cold. Hope this helps. Haribol!
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A Helpful Tip for Vaisnavas About Japanese Miso Broth by Vrindavan dasa Posted August 12, 2008 Here's a helpful tip for those devotees who drink Japanese miso broth, and tips for how to cook it in such a way that is appropriate for Vaisnavas. Miso broth keep at warm temperature for 6 or 7 hours actually starts to produce alcohol! Similar to apple juice at room temperature, and so on. However, miso broth at just under boiling, 95 degrees C, can go for 6 or 7 hours without producing any alcohol at all. Just something to remember any time you make miso broth in the future. Important to bring the water to a full boil, 100 degrees C, before you add the miso and then don't leave it sitting at too low a temperature for too long. Once its been steamed or boiled, though, the fermentation process is stopped and so the process of creating alcohol no longer occurs. Steamed miso broth can then sit at room temperature for a longer time, but will eventually start to go rotten, although it doesn't produce alcohol any longer. I never discovered this before, because my coffee urn had a fixed temperature thermostat at just under boiling -- I never left it sitting for a long time without first boiling it. The explanation for this is obvious. The boiling point of alcohol is less than the boiling point of water. Therefore, when you heat the miso broth, the alcohol starts to steam off before the water does. As long as you first cook the miso at just under boiling, then there will be no alcohol ever. Once the miso is boiled, it seems that the fermentation stops, and so no more alcohol will ever get produced.
I used to think it was very hard to go vegan, as I was particularly addicted to creamy tastes and especially ice cream, as well as curd, etc. Then I discovered what a humble banana could do when it was blended with soy milk, as well as how much better tasting than milk are some of the soy milks you can get. I must confess I got totally addicted to soy milk and started drinking massive quantities of it, which caused me some health problems, so don't go that route! Rice milk is much safer if you happen to be a huge milk-alternative consumer, like me. I don't think you could overdose on it at all, as it is just rice and water and vegetable oil, basically. Soy milk is the one for taste though. For Australian devotees, try the Soy Milky brand, you will get addicted instantly, I can guarantee it. Or if it is available in your area, almond milk is both delicious and very nutritious. For the healthiest, yummiest, cheapest, and easiest ice cream recipe, just blend over-ripe (really, really over-ripe) bananas- with soy milk for a super creamy effect, or rice milk for a lighter snack. They should be the Cavendish (long-fingered) type, not the Lady Finger (short-fingered) type. Freeze them first for 2 days or so, taking the skins off first, and have the soy or rice milk cold too, then it will be actually icecream. Then try adding peaches or pears, fresh or from the can, but if they are fresh they should be over-ripe and squishy. It's a great way to use up all that fruit you have in the fridge that is almost ready to throw out. Instead of curd, tofu is the way, with the firm stuff perfect for frying and the soft stuff perfect for crumbling. Olive oil is a very healthy alternative to ghee. Instead of butter on bread, try nut butters or tahini- bought in bulk they are cheaper too.
For a huge range of fantastic cheap recipes I recommend Vegan with a
Vengeance. Actually there are so many good books out there, but if you are
on a shoe-string and short of time, this one is great.
Zoe from somewhere in Australia writes: "I am looking for a recipe for banana halva that I used to make years ago. It had 6 bananas and rosewater in it plus (???) Can you help me? Can't find the actual recipe on your site." Hello Zoe, thanks for your request. I am not sure which variety of banana halva/halava you are asking about. Halva is a very general term (read my essay on halva...) www.kurma.net/essays/e17.html I actually don't have a published banana halava recipe, but I do have other halava recipes that can be adapted. I made some banana halava the other day in fact, after one of my blog-readers asked me the very same question. The recollection of banana halava grew in my mind (as it does) and not too long after that contemplation, I was actually cooking a batch. This is a version of semolina halava with bananas inside. You can also make a dish of bananas, butter, and sugar which are cooked a long way down to a very thick pudding-like consistency. Perhaps this what you are referring to. I don't have a recipe for that.
Anyway, here is a recipe that I have formulated especially for you, and I
have even added the optional rosewater. Once you know the basic formula for
semolina halava, it is easy to vary the flavourings. Happy cooking! Kurma.
Walnut, Banana and Rosewater Semolina Halava Pudding Semolina halava is the most popular dessert served at any of the Hare Krishna restaurants worldwide. This version of the famous hot, fluffy pudding with juicy raisins, raw sugar, and walnut pieces rates high in the "halava-top-ten". I have cooked halava for 4 or 5 persons and for 1500 persons; either way, following the same basic steps yields equally stunning results. The secret of good halava is to roast the semolina very slowly for at least 20 minutes, with enough butter so as not to scorch the grains. Steam the finished halava over very low heat with a tight-fitting lid for 5 minutes to fully plump the semolina grains; then allow it to sit covered for another 5 minutes. Fluffy, plump grained halava is best served hot, on its own, or with a spoonful of cream or custard. Serves 6 - 8 persons, or a couple of halava addicts.
Combine the water and sugar in a 2-litre saucepan. Place over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to very low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Melt the butter or ghee in a 2- or 3-litre non-stick saucepan and over fairly low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the semolina. Slowly and rhythmically stir-fry the grains until they darken to a tan colour and become aromatic (about 20 minutes). Add the walnut pieces about halfway through the roasting. Stirring more carefully, raise the heat under the grains. Raise the heat under the sugar water and bring the syrup to a rolling boil. Remove the saucepan of semolina and butter from the heat, slowly pouring the hot syrup into the semolina, stirring steadily. The grains may at first splutter, but will quickly cease as the liquid is absorbed. Return the pan to the stove and stir steadily over low heat until the grains fully absorb the liquid, start to form into a pudding-like consistency, and pull away from the sides of the pan. Place a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan and cook over the lowest possible heat for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat, splash in the rosewater, fold in the banana, and allow the halava to firm up, covered and off the heat, for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot in dessert bowls as it is, or with the toppings suggested above.
Posted by Kurma www.iskcon.net.au/kurma/profiles/$1 on 24/9/07;
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