Indian Cooking Tips: How To Make Halbai – An Irresistible South Indian Dessert From Karnataka

The tradition of concluding our meals with something sweet is nothing new to us. We never get tired of devouring those yummy desserts after a lavish meal. Mention Indian desserts and one can immediately imagine rasgullas, barfis and kheer. Our cravings are endless; perhaps which is why the list of Indian desserts is versatile and extensive too. If North Indians have halwas, ladoos and barfis, people in South India enjoys payasam, kesari bhaat, boorelu and more. Besides, South Indian cuisine has many other lesser-known sweets that are too delicious to miss!

(Also Read: Payasam, Mysore Pak, Kesari Bhaat And Other South Indian Dessert Recipes That You Must Try)

Each South Indian region boasts of a distinct cuisine, which is either known for spicy curries or comforting sambar and fluffy idlis. But did you know there’s an array of south Indian desserts waiting to be explored? Halbai is one perfect instance for you all. A decadent sweet from Karnataka, it is quick and easy to make and is perfect for every special occasion. It is widely popular in the coastal belt of South India.

Halbai just needs about a handful of ingredients to prepare – rice, coconut, milk and jaggery. You can make it just under an hour. While it is generally made sweet, one can also make a savoury snack by simply replacing jaggery with spices and herbs such as curry leaves, asafoetida and chillies. Savoury or sweet, Halbai makes for a great tea-time snack.

How To Make Halbai – Karnataka’s Rice-Based Dessert – At Home

All you need to make Halbai is to whip a smooth mix of soaked and ground rice, coconut, cardamom and jaggery with ghee. Cook until the mixture is glossy. Let it rest, and un-mould it to serve. You can cut into barfi-like pieces, top with nuts right before serving. Make sure you keep stirring while cooking so there are no lumps in the mixture. You can add ground nuts to the mixture also.

Find the step-by-step recipe of Halbai here.

Try this mouth-watering South Indian dessert at home and share your experience with us in the comments section below.