Karah Prashad (Whole Wheat Halwa)

Karah Prashad is the sacred sweet of the Sikhs. It is offered as a blessing from the Guru. I am not religious, but this is a part of my religious heritage that I cherish. Growing up, Karah Prashad was what I looked forward to most on my rare visits to the Gurudwara. I only make it for special occasions, but without fail on September 7 every year in remembrance of my father.

Making Karah Prashad is a labor of love. All you need are a handful of pantry staples, a little elbow grease and some patience. It requires about 30 minutes of constant stirring, but the end result is worth it. This recipe was given to me by my friend, Anju Wariah. Anju’s proportions are simple; she follows a ratio of 1:1:1:3 for the flour, ghee, sugar and water (adding no cardamom). For my version, I reduce the amount of ghee and add some ground cardamom. Both are delicious. Whichever proportion you choose to follow, I hope you enjoy the Karah as much as I do.

---

Recipe

Karah PrashAd

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)*
1 cup ghee (I use 9 tablespoons)
1 cup sugar or powdered jaggery
3 cups boiling water 
1/2 tsp ground green cardamom (choti elaichi)**

Method

Add the sugar and ground cardamom to the hot water and stir until it the sugar dissolves. Cover and set aside.

In a deep, heavy-based pan, melt the ghee and add the whole wheat flour. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously (and scraping down the sides) until the flour starts to change color (this should take about 8 minutes). Lower the heat and continue to stir until it turns reddish-brown, loose and aromatic. 

Carefully, pour in the sugar syrup, stirring continuously to make sure there are no lumps (if lumps do form, don’t fret… simply pass the mixture through a metal strainer and return to the pan).

Continue to stir the prashad over medium-high heat until it thickens. Then lower the heat and stir for another 10 minutes until the fat separates and the mixture starts to leave the side of the pan. Turn off the heat and serve warm. 

*I like to use coarsely ground whole wheat flour when I can source it, but packaged whole wheat flour (atta used for making rotis) will also work.

**The addition of ground cardamom is optional. I like to add it for fragrance and flavor, but it can be omitted.