What is Sohan Halwa
Sohan Halwa is one of the most famous traditional Indian sweet dishes, found in multiple varieties in different parts of the country. It is made with a mixture of wheat flour, sugar, mild, desi/pure ghee, and water.
When white flour (maida) is cooked with desi ghee, garnished with almonds, pistachios, and cashew-nuts, etc, transforms into a super delicious dish called Sohan Halwa.
Why Ajmer’s Sohan Halwa is famous
Ajmer is filled with a dense variety of modern and traditional sweets. However, some sweets are significantly known for their antiquity and distinct taste. The Sohan Halwa is one of them, which is known as a classic sweet of Ajmer. Because of its unforgettable taste, it is a must-have sweet in the city. Though the Sohan Halwa is considered a traditional dessert in entire South Asia, mostly in Indian Subcontinent, if you want to taste the best version of it, you must visit the city of Ajmer. It is said to have originated from Ajmer in India. Therefore, it is also recognized as the signature dish of Ajmer.
Historically, the Sohan Halwa has been glorifying the city. It was very famous in the Mughal era. It said that Emporer Akbar used to keep it with him during his visit to Dargah Sharif. Even still, whosoever visits the Ajmer Sharif never forget to enjoy the delicious taste of Sohan Halwa. Many pilgrims take it with them as the blessings of Khwaja Garib Nawaz. You can imagine how popular this sweet is.
The traditional dish of Sohan Halwa is prepared using Maida (White Flour), Sugar, and Desi Ghee. Basically, it is a perfect blend of Flour, Sugar, and Desi Ghee as it is made with a mixture of all these. It is also garnished with almonds, pistachios, and cashew-nuts, etc. The Rajasthani foods boast the royal traditional food culture. Apart from prerequisite Desi Ghee, Rajasthani cuisine is full of spices or Masala. Therefore, traditionally after having the spicy meal, the locals generally seek the dessert. And most of the time, the Sohan Halwa is preferred by many.
It is not only a famous traditional sweet of India, but it is also one of the top five sweet dishes in Rajasthan and tops the chart when it comes to Ajmer’s sweet dishes. It is the sweetest identity of Ajmer. Sohan Halwa is basically an all-weather sweet that is always in the endless trend.
Where to Eat the Sohan Halwa in Ajmer
Because the Sohan Halwa is a signature dish of Ajmer, it is very famous. Its popularity makes it available in every nook and corner of the city of Ajmer. So it does not matter which part of the city you are in, it is easily accessible from anywhere. However, there are some traditional shops, which are especially dedicated to Sohan Halwa. Even some Halwais of various shops spent their entire life around the kitchen in the making of Sohan Halwa. In this highly modernized age, they still use some traditional methods to avoid discrepancies in taste. These are some traditional shops.
Name: Moolchand Budhamal Halwai
Address: Purani Mandi Road, Purani Mandi, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Azad Sweets
Address: Madar Gate Rd, Opposite Ghantaghar, Parao, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Nenumal Bhimandas Kailash Misthan Bhandar
Address: Nala Bazar Rd, Diggi Bazaar, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Rajaram Agarwal Sweet Mart
Address: Nala Bazar Rd, near Khwaja Dargah, Gharib Nawaz Colony, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Shree Rajasthan Sweet & Namkin
Address: Madar Gate Ajmer-0, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Gangaram Amarchand Halwai ( G.A.H. Sweets )
Address: Naya Bazar, Naya Bazaar, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: New Madina Sweet
Address: 16 khmba kamani gate, Ander Kote Rd, Khadim Mohalla, Diggi Bazaar, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Mahesh Misthan Bhandar
Address: Ground Floor, Raj Bhavan Building Kaiser Ganj, Arya Samaj Marg, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Shree Bhom Ji Sweet’s
Address: Opposite Vega Mall, Suchna Kendra Circle, Jaipur Rd, Muslim Mochi Mohalla, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Shri Rajasthan Sweets & Namkeen
Address: Diggi Chowk, Diggi Bazar, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Name: Pt badri prasad narayan prasad ramesh chand halwai
Address: Madar Gate, main chowk, near the railway station, Diggi Bazaar, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305001
Recipe for Sohan Halwa
If you want to enjoy the Sohan Halwa at home with the same relish that you find at expensive restaurants, here we are presenting the recipe, which you can follow to enjoy this delicious delicacy at home.
Ingredients
- Sugar
- Cornflour or Maida
- Almonds
- Pistachio
- Green Cardamom
- Desi Ghee
- Milk
- Water
- Saffron
Follow these steps and use the Ingredients as required
Heat the water, add sugar and boil for 5 minutes. Then add milk and boil for 5 minutes. Now strain it through a muslin bag or thin cloth.
Add the remaining water and sugar syrup.
Dissolve saffron in warm water and add.
Dissolve the cornflour in a little water.
Add to the cornflour mixture and cook over low flame.
When cornflour becomes thick, add 1 tbsp ghee.
Continue adding ghee slowly during cooking to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
Stir it well. As ghee separates from the mixture, then it is ready.
Add almonds, pistachio & green cardamoms to it.
Grease a pan or tray with oil.
Spread Halwa in it & press with a wooden spoon to flatten it.
Garnish it with almonds, pistachio, and cardamoms.
As it cools down, cut it into pieces and serve.