Banana Halwa is a perfect recipe to use up overripe bananas and turn it into a yummy dessert with just a few ingredients.
Banana Halwa is a sweet dessert popular in South India. It is an yummy way to use up overripen bananas. This is soft smooth halwa with bits of almonds throughout. In some variations desiccated coconut is used, some use oatmeal and others use Sooji (semolina) to give it some body and reduce the sticky texture; although many like it that way. The basic recipe calls for mashed bananas to be cooked in ghee or butter and sweetened till it gets to a sticky halwa consistency. Sometimes it is also set and cut into pieces like barfi. Overtime, many variations have come about to take it up a notch and make it more interesting!
In my house, the kids eat bananas only when they are yellow. Once they get black spots on them, no one touches them! So once ripened I am left to figure out what to do with them. Sometimes they go into smoothies, or banana bread, and sometimes its this delicious halwa.
In this recipe, I have left it simple with very few basic ingredients. Simply cook mashed bananas in ghee and add some sweetener. You can use sugar, brown sugar, gurd (Jaggery) or dates. I like dates or gur for a healthier option and it also gives a nice deep brown color. I like to use some milk powder to give it a bit of richness. This is a great beginners recipe, check it out.
Makes: 4-5 servings
Time: 25 mins
Ingredients:
- 6 large bananas (about 3 cups of mashed bananas)
- 3 tbsp ghee or butter
- 1/2 cup Milk Powder
- 1/4 Cup almonds (chopped, slivered, sliced)
- 1/4 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)
- Optional: 1/2 to 1 cup of Jaggery (gur). Depends how sweet the bananas are
- Optional: 1/8 tsp Nutmeg and 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
- Optional: 1/2 tsp Rose or Kewra water (helps balance the banana flavor)
- Peel and chop up bananas and add to a blender along with milk powder; and blend into a smooth paste. Do not add any liquid. If you don’t have a blender, no problem, just use a fork and mash it up in a bowl as much as possible.
- In a non stick pan, add ghee and the blended banana mixture. Cook for 10 mins, stirring and scraping the sides constantly till it becomes thicker and turns slightly brown. A heat proof spatula works best.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 15 mins, keep stirring as it will stick and burn on the bottom.
- Add the gur a little at a time till you get to the desired sweetness you like. Depending how sweet the bananas are, you may not need any sweetening at all. If using dates, remove the pits and tops and blend, add a little at a time. Be sure all has melted in.
- When you see the oil start separating around the edges and the halwa comes together like a ball of dough, the halwa is ready.
- Serve it hot or cold garnished with almonds on top.
Tips:
- It will be faster if you add the gur granules, grated, or cut up in small chunks so it melts faster.
- If you like gundar (edible gum), you can add it to this. Take 1 tbsp, add to cold oil, heat up on medium and then add it whole or crush it before adding.
- For other simple dessert ideas, check out more recipes in the Sweets Section.