Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights so ahead of this weekend’s celebrations, California Live’s Jobeth Devera visits San Francisco’s Copra Indian restaurant to learn how to make green apple halwa. Chef Srijith Gopinathan shares how to make the decadent recipe commonly made for the festivities.
Green Apple Halwa Recipe:
- Grated green Apple - 15 oz / 400 gms
- Brown sugar- 4 cups / 800 gms
- Coconut milk - 2 1/2 cups / 600 gms
- Ghee- 2 cups / 500 gms
- Sea Salt - one pinch
- Cardamom powder - one pinch
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
Directions:
In a thick-bottom pan on medium heat, heat up 2 tbsp of ghee and add the grated apple and cook for 8-10 min constantly sautéing. You can see it is cooked and comes together like wax.
Add sugar and cook further to thicken, adding ghee as you go, in 2 tbsp installments 2-3 times.
Add coconut milk and cook (5-6 min) until the mixture comes together. Keep adding ghee in small installments and cook for 8-10 min over a medium flame, constantly stirring the halwa with a wooden ladle.
Add a pinch of salt and cardamom powder and continue heating, but don't overcook it. The finished halwa should be gooey in consistency.
Move the halwa into a pan and keep it at room temperature. In case you refrigerate this dessert, warm it up in the microwave for 10 seconds before serving.
(optional) Garnish with raisins or roasted cashew nuts.
Enjoy! Happy Diwali!
