Amaranth or Rajgira Halwa

Name: Amaranth or Rajgira Halwa
Total time: 7200 s
Yield: 1 to 2 people
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups Malai (previously collected); 1/2 cup whole Amaranth Seeds (store bought); 1/4 cup small jaggery peices (previously blended); 1 cup hot water; 4 tablespoons ghee; 6-7 chopped Pumpkin seeds; 1-2 chopped almonds; 2-3 Sunflower seeds; 1-2 cranberries slices; 1-2 green cardamoms

Kalpna @cook_111394930

Hyderabad, Telangana

#CHEFFEB
Amaranth is a plant with Red flower. whose leaves and seeds both are used in cooking. Used as a grain also known by the name Rajgira (royal grain) or Ramdana (grain given by Lord Rama) Highly nutritious, used as a flour to make ladoos, paranthas or Halwa.
Made Amaranth Halwa first by homemade ghee, then homemade Amaranth Flour from the whole Amaranth Seeds. Then blended to form flour.Lastly, garnished with Sunflower or Pumpkin seeds and chopped cranberries. It is just wow with its nutty aroma, color, texture and most importantly the AUTHENTIC TASTE.
It is optional to make flour at home. You can also use store bought readymade flour but whole Amaranth seeds can be used in various ways or while making flour from the whole Amaranth seeds, the quantity gets increased upon popping them. Just half small bowl or cup of whole Amaranth seeds is sufficient to make Halwa.
Also, it is optional to make ghee at home. Store bought ghee can be used. I preferred homemade as I use mostly homemade in my cooking. And when I thought to make Amaranth Halwa, I was out of stock with ghee which is why I first made ghee and then Halwa.
Popped seeds of Amaranth can be stored to use later in various dishes but while making flour out of it, it's better to make fresh because it may get damp with moistured content which is not preferably required to make flour.
Used Jaggery to substitute sugar to have more healthier version.

Kalpna @cook_111394930

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Ingredients

2 hours

1 to 2 people

To make Ghee
2 cupsMalai (previously collected)
To make Amaranth Flour
1/2 cupwhole Amaranth Seeds (store bought)
To make Halwa
1/4 cupsmall jaggery peices (previously blended)
1 cuphot water
4 tablespoonsghee
6-7chopped Pumpkin seeds
1-2chopped almonds
2-3Sunflower seeds
1-2cranberries slices
1-2green cardamoms

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Steps

2 hours

1

Pour 2 cups of Malai in a heavy bottom or non sticky kadhai. Heat and stir in between until it melts and gets reduced to nearly half in quantity.
Tip: 1) Malai that is used to make ghee was previously collected from 5 to 6 days from the full fat boiled milk.
2

Stir in at every 2 to 3 minutes until it gets reduced or changes its color to golden brown. It will form into a solid mixture after some time and the ghee begins to float upon the top surface. Do not allow to stick at the base or on the edges.
3

Stir frequently until the ghee begins to separate completely. Turn off the flame and allow to come at room temperature. Strain out the prepared ghee and seprate mixture from it.
4

Ghee is ready to use. Store it in any container and it can be used upto months. Keep aside to use further in Amaramth Halwa.
Tip : The mixture that is obtained from the malai can be used to make stuffed paranthas by adding sugar in it.
5

To make Amaranth Flour,used 1/2 cup whole Amaranth seeds from true elements as shown.
6

First, we need to make Amaranth Flour from the whole Amaranth seeds. Take heavy bottom or non sticky pan or kadhai. Turn on the flame and put 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Rajgira or whole Amaranth seeds in it.
7

The seeds begins to pop out and changes its color from golden to white. Do not allow the seeds to remain in pan for long. You need to toss it frequently otherwise they will burn and turn to black.
Tip: 1) The lesser the quantity of the seeds while putting in kadhai, the better will be the popped seeds.
2) There isn't any problem if few of the seeds remained unpopped.
8

Transfer to plate and again put half teaspoon seeds in a kadhai. Again allow the seeds to pop out and toss them up until they change from golden to white. Transfer to plate and keep aside. Repeat the same steps for rest of the seeds.
9

Now we have all the popped seeds prepared. Allow to cool and then transfer to blender jar.
10

Blend to form into Flour. Transfer it to cup and keep with all the ingredients together to make Halwa.
11

Heat 3 tablespoons prepared ghee in a kadhai until it melts on low medium heat. Keep the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee to use later in halwa.Put prepared rajgira flour it it.
12

Dry roast for few minutes until it changes its color. It is not required to roast for long as the flour prepared is already from the popped seeds.
13

Add warm water in it. Mix and stir in until the water is absorbed within the flour. Add jaggery to the Halwa and give it a mix.
Optional to use jaggery. Sugar can also be used.
14

Add Chopped almonds or nuts of your choice. Pour little amount of ghee upon the prepared Halwa while serving. Adding ghee is optional. Transfer it to bowl and garnish with some more nuts.
15

While serving, garnished to form flower with sunflower seeds with chopped red cranberries in the centre of the flower and few chopped pumpkin seeds upon the entire halwa. Serve hot to enjoy!

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Kalpna @cook_111394930

on February 09, 2025 02:56

Hyderabad, Telangana

Cooking is a skill. The more you create... the more you unleash your skill. I am here to fulfill my love for cooking..to find something new...something exciting...to learn or gain cooking accolades that I may cherish one day. Cooking is an art and to some extent, am trying to use my creative art skills in cooking. Thanks to Cookpad for giving us this platform where we can share our ideas, stories, the way we like to cook!