A bowl of comfort

There is more to the humble halwa than the warm hug-like feeling it often leaves you with, writes Madhulika Dash

Let’s face it, we don’t have to sell you halwa. It is an idea most of us have lived on. And not some fancy halwa but the simple aate ka halwa, that could be made in an instant. A bowlful was all that was needed to make us feel better. In fact, so strong is that ‘feel better’ factor that is ammo enough for us to head to the store or the kitchen to make a batch whenever someone says halwa. So what is it about this rustic treat that is so addictive that even Gurudwaras decided to choose it for their kada prasad?

One way of looking at it is that atta or whole wheat is a staple in India and is found across the country in every home. And traditionally, prasad were items that could be made with easy ingredients by everybody. But at homes, what makes it go for the aate ka halwa as the little ‘treat’ for us, is more to do with it being a simple halwa than just that gooey feeling and great taste.

Atte ka halwa, says nutritional therapist Sveta Bhassin, “was built for two reasons: first was the taste, and second, as a rich source of energy and fortification. In fact, a halwa — be it the simple recipe of ghee, sugar, and cardamom or fortified with ghee roasted nuts — works better than a cup of black coffee when it comes to getting that instant boost of energy.”

What lends it that ability, adds Sveta, “is the very composition of the aate ka halwa, which is made with one of our finest complex carbohydrate, ghee, sugar, and cardamom.”

Elaborates Chef Lakhbir Singh (Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Bengaluru), “when you roast the wheat, you are not only breaking the molecular starch structure and fibre into quick to digest nutrients but also activating selenium, the antioxidant that is known to fortify the skin to fight first-level infection. The fact that this is done using ghee, which thanks to its good fat, adds taste to the wheat. Its high smoking point ensures that during the roasting process, there is minimal loss of nutrients from the wheat itself.” This is the reason, adds Chef Singh, “that traditionally we use the more granular form of atta, which ensures that the flour can bear more heat without losing the nutrients, and has this amazing feel and texture.”

Further, fortified with nuts and cardamom, an aromatic herb known for its calming properties, results in a bowl that can not only energise you instantly but also leave you feeling happy — a reaction that begins with the aroma itself.

Fascinatingly, it is this calming, instant revitalising properties of aate ka halwa that makes it a perfect antidote for not only people who suffer from low BP as it is able to give that sugar spike needed to balance the tipping scale, but also to calm down overactive kids as it releases the stress of the left cerebral instantly. The left brain, says Sveta, “is what controls your creative side, which often tends to get agitated with a change of schedule and can result in stress, which in kids results in hyperactivity and boredom, and in adults can be a cause of irritation, lack of focus and even a kind of memory loss.”

Nutrition-wise, these are signs that the brain is lacking energy, resulting in this hard to suppress feeling of having a sugar rush. Most of us, says Sveta, “tend to resolve this by either having a processed sugar treat or by drinking cups of black coffee, which is a dehydrator and causes the body to lose water faster.”

A better option is aate ka halwa, which can give you the same energy boost with an added dose of comfort. However, say experts, “have it in moderation. A small cup (one that is used to serve curd at home) works equally well. But if you really want to gorge, make it a breakfast affair — and fortify it with ghee-roasted nuts.”