Looking for a dessert that’s delicious, unique, and nourishing? This Beetroot and Apple Halwa is just that—a pudding-like Indian sweet that blends the earthy sweetness of beetroot with the natural tartness of apples. Lightly spiced and cooked to perfection, this halwa makes for a healthy festive dessert or a comforting treat after meals.
Halwa is a much-loved part of Indian cuisine, usually made with grains, nuts, or vegetables. In this recipe, I’ve taken the traditional idea of vegetable halwa and given it a fruity, wholesome twist by combining beetroot and apples. The result? A naturally sweet, vibrant dessert that’s as nutritious as it is indulgent.
I had tasted the Apple and beetroot halwa at a friend’s get together many moons ago. The table alomost creaked under the weight of all the food that was laid out. But what caught my attention was the vibrant beetroot and apple halwa. It’s deep ruby red and the aroma of the clarified butter and cardamom was just impossible to resist.
With the very first spoonful, I was blown away by the balance of the earthy sweetness of the beetroots and the mild tartness of the apples. It was comforting, familiar and yet so different from the traditional halwas that I had grown up with.
That evening, As we sat chatting and laughing over second (or third) helpings of the halwa, I realised that food has a unique and magical way of making a simple gathering into a memory. Ever since, this dish has carried with it the warmth of friendship, celebration and togetherness.
Since Beets and Apples, which are the key ingredients of the dessert are both sweet, this confection does not require a lot of sugar. So this dessert great for the calorie conscious as well.
As I mentioned before, this halwa can be made in a number of ways. This recipe is more of a template. So feel free to tweak and adjust the recipe to suit your tastes and preferences. So go ahead and make your own and see how it turns out. So let’s get to the recipe shall we??
Beetroot and Apple halwa
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a table spoon of ghee in a thick bottomed pan and add the cashew nuts and fry till pale brown. Add the raisins and fry till they swell up.
- Remove the fried cashews and raisins from the pan and set aside. Add the grated beetroot and apple to the same pan. Add salt and fry for a 5-10min or till the moisture is absorbed.
- Add the whole milk and cook covered on low heat. Keep stirring the mixture from time to time. Cook the mixture for 20-25min or till the moisture is evaporated and the mixture is almost dry.
- Add the Sugar and almond meal and mix till the sugar is dissolved
- Stir in the remaining ghee and cook the mixture on medium heat for another 15-20min. At this point the ghee will separate from the beetroot mixture and will turn dark pink and glisten.
- Add the milk powder and cardamom powder, fried cashew and raisins, mix well and take off the heat.
- Garnish with pistachios and serve warm
- serving suggestions:
- Serve warm as a festive dessert.
- Pair with vanilla ice cream for a fusion twist.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days and reheat before serving.