Corn Flour Halwa

If you do not mind a slightly soft textured sweet, this is just the one for you. Easy to make. Not much fat in it. And quick.  Just make sure you add more nuts than I have and it would taste even better adding to a crunch to the soft textured sweet.  If you wish, this can be also served in a bowl instead of allowing it to solidify and cut into pieces.  Recipe from Uma's Kitchen

Ingredients: Serves 6 persons

Corn flour - 1/2 cup *
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup **
Water - 1 and 1 1/2 cup ( 2 1/2 )
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup - roughly chopped
Cardamom powder - a big pinch
Food colour - large pinch

Take about half tbsp of ghee and fry the chopped cashew to a golden brown
Keep aside.

Grease a plate with ghee and keep ready

In a bowl, mix the corn flour, colouring and 1 1/2 cup of water.  Ensure there are no lumps. Keep aside

In a heavy bottomed pan or non stick pan, take the sugar and add the balance one cup water. Keep on heat. Let the sugar dissolve completely and begin to get sticky and thickish.  ( do not have to check string level)

At this stage, take the corn flour mixture, mix again and add to the sugar solution that is still on the heat.
Keep stirring continuously as you add.
Continue to stir.
It will form some glossy parts scattered in the mixture as you keep mixing. Continue till it gets thick. The colour will change and turn glossy.

At this stage add the ghee and keep stirring.  The mixture will boil up and also come together. Getting more glossy. Add the cardamom powder, cashew bits.  Stir in. Turn off the heat.

Pour into the greased plate.  Allow to cool for about 1-2 hours. Cut into pieces.

* you  can also add flavoured custard powder instead of corn flour
** you can add a little less sugar as I did.  It tasted sweet enough
You can add any kind of nuts and a little more than 1/4 cup will add great texture to the halwa