Halwa balls are a traditional Indian dessert that are vegan and gluten free. Time to treat yourself to these delicious bites!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 55 minutes
  • Total time: 65 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Indian, Vegan

Ingredients

Candied Beet:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup finely cubed beet
  • 3 Tablespoons raw sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger

Candied Beet Thins: GF

  • 1/4 cup coconut flakes
  • 1 cup crisp rice cereal
  • 1 teaspoon flaxmeal
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 Tablespoons ground raw sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons candied beet and some beet syrup

Mango Halwa:

  • 1/4 cup coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup rice cereal - ground coarsely with a pulse in the blender
  • 1/4 cup semolina (to make glutenfree, substitute with cream of rice or make pink Beet coconut balls with added rice cereal)
  • 1/2 ripe mango (medium)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 -3 Tablespoons raw sugar (more if the mango is not ripe enough)

Beet Halwa:

  • Add 2 Tablespoons Candied beet and 1 teaspoon beet syrup

Method

Candied Beet:

  1. In a pan, add the chopped beet, ginger, water and sugar. Mix well and cook on low-medium heat until the syrup thickens to like maple syrup consistency. 35+ minutes. I had a little more than a Tablespoon syrup reserve.
  2. Beet Thins:
  3. In a bowl, add flaxmeal, raw sugar and warm water and mix well.
  4. Add coconut flakes to a blender and Blend a bit till some of it become buttery.
  5. Add the Rice cereal and baking powder to the same blender, and pulse it once or twice to make a coarse flour.
  6. Add to flaxmeal mixture and combine.
  7. Add 2-3 Tablespoons candied beet cubes, a teaspoon of beet syrup, mix and form 4-5 medium size thin cookies.
  8. Bake at pre-heated 350 degrees F for 15-17 minutes.
  9. Cool for a few minutes.
  10. Serve warm, layered with warm halwa, topped with candied beet and coconut flakes.(and/or beet syrup)

Halwa:

  1. Blend the chopped mango, sugar and water and keep ready.
  2. In a deep pan, add the semolina and roast on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the color starts to change.
  3. Add the coconut flakes and coarsely ground rice cereal and roast or another minute or 2 until the coconut smells toasty and leaves a little oil.
  4. Add the blended mango mixture and cook on low heat until the dry ingredients absorb the puree and make a thick halwa consistency.(3-4 minutes, stir every few seconds)
  5. Remove half of the mixture and keep aside to cool a bit.
  6. To the other half, add a Tablespoon of candied beet cubes and a teaspoon of beet syrup(if you have some left), mix for a few seconds.
  7. Take off heat and keep aside to cool.

Serve:

  1. Make balls or other shapes with the halwa mixture and place on coconut rice candied beet thins. Top with candied beet cubes(how pretty are those), coconut shreds (and beet syrup-optional). Serve warm.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.