Cheerful Sweet Potato Halwa (Instant Pot)
This Sweet Potato Halwa hit the bright spot on a weekend that went downhill today. On a bright and sunny day like today, I am sick. My silver lining is that I have used the snowy Saturday to further my instant pot adventures. It was a busy weekend, I am glad that I had prepped effectively for it. I used the IP to make fresh yogurt and a nice large batch of yogurt, sambhar and this easy sweet potato halwa for a sweet and soft finish.
My Sweet Potato Halwa Story
A halwa in Indian parlance is a pudding. The carrot halwa is usually a more common affair. In winter, I have to find ways to bond with my roots (no pun intended and sweet potatoes with their vibrant colors never fail to please. I experiment with all varieties of sweet potatoes. My favorite is the North Carolina Orange Sweet potatoes.
Another halwa that is colorful, wholesome and vibrant is the Halwa with Beets.
The flavors and ingredients in this simple treat accentuates the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. It is complemented with brown sugar and raisins and finished off with almonds and crushed dried rose petals. The rose petals were just a whim, but it added a delicate and exotic finish to the dish. However they are truly optional, the delicate cardamom holds its own and perfumes the sweet treat.
The rest of the clouds on this sunny day was a fight with my daughter. She has hit the teenage years and how. As with most things that bother her, the object of her problems and whims are usually me. Her mother of course. Dealing with this phase is stressful.
The fever does not help! Life is good for us, but like most of us doing the treadmill shift in NYC too busy for sorting out little things like this. So, as with most things in her life I will wait and watch until things even out for her in her head. They always do.
If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group and Legume Love Group. Of course Instant Indian is ready for pre-order, joining its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.
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A gorgeous winter to fall dessert that add brightness and the right amount of indulgence to your winter table.
Ingredients
- 6 medium sized sweet potatoes (about 1 and 1/2 pounds) I used the orange North Carolina variety)
- 1 cup whole milk (can be half and half if you are feeling indulgent
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 green cardamoms, gently bruised
- 1/2 cup green raisins (can be dried cranberries or other raisins)
- 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
- 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
- 1 teaspoon crushed dried rose petals (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and halve the sweet potatoes and place in the base of the instant pot with the milk and brown sugar.
- Cover the base and cook on manual for 7 minutes and do a quick release.
- Remove the whole cardamoms, mash the sweet potatoes into the milk. Add in the raisins
- Turn on the saute mode and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. At this point, the mixture should form a smooth fairly thick mass and move with the direction of the spoon.
- Add in the clarified butter and cook for another 4 minutes.
- Place in a serving bowl.
- Garnish with slivered almonds and sprinkle the rose petals if using.
- Serve the dessert warm.
Notes
This can be done on your stove top, you need to cover the sweet potato and milk in a heavy bottomed pot and cook for 30 minutes until soft and follow the process.
Gluten Free Almond Tart Shell - Spice Chronicles
[…] Indian dessert. My favorite thing to do with it, around Thanksgiving anyway is to fill it with my Sweet Potato Halwa. The sweet potato halwa is done in the instant pot, and this crust takes maybe 20 minutes tops to put […]