Name: Cardamom-scented banana fudge
Yield: Serves 4–5
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 25 g/1 oz pistachio nuts, crushed (optional); 115 g/4 oz/1⅓cups desiccated (dry unsweetened shredded) coconut; 200 ml/7fl oz/¾ cup full-fat (whole) milk; 4–5 semi-ripe bananas; 115 g/4 oz/1 cup granulated (white) sugar; 5 ml/1 tsp ground cardamom; 2.5 ml/½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 75 g/3 oz/6 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter; 25 g/1 oz seedless raisins; 50 g/2 oz raw cashew nuts, chopped (optional); 15 ml/1 tbsp toasted coconut flakes

Preparation info

Serves
4–5

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Complete Indian Regional Cookbook

By Mridula Baljekar

Published 2017

About

Halwa is the generic Indian name for any sweetmeat cooked with sugar and a hint of spice to a soft fudge consistency. When made with freshly grated coconut and mashed banana, this Balehannu Halwa is divine. It is quicker to use desiccated coconut, lightly cooked in milk, than fresh coconut.

Ingredients

115 g/4 oz/1⅓cups desiccated (dry unsweetened shredded) coconut
200

Method

Place the coconut and milk in a pan and stir over a medium heat until the coconut has absorbed all the milk. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a potato masher or fork.
Melt the ghee