What does Uzbek halva consist of? Halva Uzbek - “Natural!! delicious!! sugarless!! Sunflower or Classic

Travelers took it with pleasure with them on long journeys, they simply needed it. Firstly, halvah is very high in calories, quickly satisfies hunger, in addition, a very small piece was enough for the traveler for a whole week, and secondly, it is able not to deteriorate for a long time. In Persia, this dessert was generally endowed with magical properties. Halva was first brought to Russia in the era of the Crusades. Our knights were very interested in the amazing delicacy that the Eastern Saracens dabbled in (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saracens). The confectioners who made halva were called kandalatchi. The profession of kandalatchi and today stands apart from other cooking professions, and all because the manufacture of halva requires not only special training, but also the necessary skills. Unfortunately, today halvah is made by hand only in three countries: Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey. Of course, the halva created by the kandalatches of the mentioned countries is the best in terms of taste and quality. How do real masters prepare this dessert?

Halva production

Let's see what halva is made of? It all starts with seeds. Usually they are dried with hot air. According to an old recipe, peeled seeds must be roasted, and only on a cast-iron brazier. Only then will the seeds have a golden crust and a unique smell. It is important to constantly stir the seeds, if they burn, the halva will be bitter. During frying, almost all moisture is evaporated from sunflower seeds. But the amount of useful oils does not decrease. In order for the grains to grind well, the amount of moisture in them should be no more than 2%. Each seed is half oil. The candalatches send the roasted seeds to an excouter, which carefully grinds the kernels, turning them into a protein mass. The oily paste made from crushed seeds is called halvin. This is the basis of an old recipe. The paste is ground several times until it becomes liquid, like condensed milk. Then, following an old recipe, the craftsmen add a little vanilla. Next, prepare the caramel. First, a syrup is made from water, sugar and molasses. Ready sugar syrup should be thick and viscous. To turn the sweet mass into caramel, a decoction of the soap root is added to it. The roots of this Mediterranean plant contain substances - saponins, which, when shaken, form a thick white foam. To prepare halvah, a decoction of soapwort is mixed with sugar syrup and shaken into a stable foam. The result is a snow-white caramel. Then the magic begins. Caramel is combined with halvin. Both mixing ingredients are very liquid. How does the dessert become hard and crumbly? This is where the magic lies. Future halva is kneaded with oars, as was done in the East many centuries ago. The trick is to gently pull out the strands of caramel while kneading. One thread can stretch up to 10 meters. Only with such thorough kneading will the halvah turn out to be airy and fibrous. If the mass was stirred by a mixer, it would break the fragile caramel threads, making the dessert crumbly like sand. That is, if mechanisms are used in the manufacture of halva, a real, proper delicacy will never work. After kneading, the halva is completely ready. Now it can be packaged in boxes. Chocolate halva is also kneaded by hand. It is important not to overdo it here, otherwise the sweetness will turn out not to be airy, but hard.

How to choose the right halva

In our country now, unfortunately, halva is not made by hand. And in the industrial production of halva, the quality suffers greatly, halva quickly releases fat to the surface and goes rancid, or, conversely, it cracks and crumbles. In addition, our producers, as you know, sin by adding all sorts of components to it: flavors, sweeteners and thickeners, replacing natural sugar and honey with them. These substances are completely not provided for by old recipes and, of course, worsen the taste of the product and its structure. Therefore, when buying, you must definitely read the composition of halva. The package should only list seeds or nuts, sugar or honey, a foaming agent (soap or licorice root), molasses and vanillin. Halva should have a layered fibrous structure, not crumble and be moderately moist. Well, if the packaging is transparent, then the buyer will be able to see what quality the product is offered to him. If drops of fat are visible inside the package, it means that either the technological process or the storage conditions of the halva were violated. It happens that halva literally floats with a puddle of fat and its traces remain on the store shelf. This is generally unacceptable.

White caramel icicles, which can be seen on the break of halva, also speak of its low quality and violation of the technological process. If you can clearly see a dark coating on a piece of halva, then its shelf life is almost over. The shelf life of a loose treat is a little over two months. If it is glazed with chocolate or packed using vacuum technology, then this period can be extended to six months. Also, halva should not contain particles of seed husks or even nuts. This can only speak of the low quality of the product, which is also unsafe to give to children.

Properties and benefits of halva

Halva, it turns out, has not only a wonderful taste that melts in your mouth, but also wonderful beneficial properties that carry real value. To begin with, it must be said that a good halva contains only natural ingredients, so it can be safely given to children.

Why is halva useful?

It contains a large amount of vegetable fats. But not only them. Halva is rich in fatty acids, proteins and dietary fiber. It contains a significant content of minerals necessary for a person: these are potassium, and zinc, and copper, and iron, as well as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. This healthy dessert has anti-aging properties. All the benefits of halva come down to the benefits of the products from which it is made. After all, seeds or nuts do not lose their properties when dried and crushed. Halva, containing several components, only multiplies these properties.

The main benefit of any natural halva is the polyunsaturated fatty acids of plant origin contained in it. These are substances such as linoleic, linolenic, oleic and other valuable acids. It also contains a lot of protein, which contains useful proteins and amino acids. And, of course, vitamins and minerals that this product is rich in. In general, depending on what raw materials halva is made of, its useful properties will change. We will talk about this in more detail when we consider its various varieties.

The use of halva

Is it possible for breastfeeding halvah?

Of course, breastfeeding mothers are very strict about their diet. And rightly so, because what they eat should not harm the newborn baby. But, if the question arises whether halva can be given to a nursing mother, then the answer to it will most likely be positive.

A young mother, of course, wants something sweet and tasty, but much is not allowed, for example, it is not recommended to consume chocolate. But halva, made from natural products, may well be an acceptable product for feeding. Many mothers eat it from the very first days after the birth of the baby. In some eastern countries, halva is even indicated for breastfeeding.

Let's remember what halva is made of? The main ingredient is nuts or seeds. Both are non-allergenic and should not cause harm. In any case, if there is a choice between a cake, candy or halva, then it is better to give preference to halva.

On the other hand, due to the high calorie content of the product, its use can adversely affect digestion. It is important to know here that if the sweetness is poorly digested by the mother, then it will certainly cause an undesirable reaction in the child, for example, bloating.

Therefore, you need to follow the golden rule of all nursing mothers. Halva, like any other product, should be introduced gradually, starting with a small piece. If the child did not react very well to sunflower halva, then you can try another one, for example, peanut or tahini. Fortunately, there are more than a dozen varieties of halva and there are plenty to choose from. The main thing is to monitor the naturalness of the composition and the expiration date. Over time, it will be possible to choose for yourself the manufacturer whose product is well suited for both mother and child. It’s great if the mother has time to make this choice before the birth. To do this, you just need to eat a small piece of halva on an empty stomach, if it does not cause any pain or heaviness, then during feeding it, most likely, can be eaten without fear.

Is halva harmful?

Halva can carry not only benefits, but also harm. The harm of halva is primarily in its calorie content and increased sweetness. The high sugar content immediately makes it an unacceptable product for people with diabetes. The high calorie content of halva creates serious restrictions in its use for overweight people. It may be contraindicated for those who have a tendency to allergies. Since this is a fatty product, it should not be consumed in large quantities by those who have problems with the pancreas or liver.

Due to the high calorie content of this dessert, nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 30 g of treats per day. The next aspect is the properties of the products underlying the halva. Sunflower seeds can accumulate such a harmless substance as cadmium over time. Therefore, it is better to use only fresh halvah, since a product that has lain for a long time can be harmful. Peanut halvah may contain the dangerous poison aflatoxin, so it is best to refrain from offering it to children. In addition, unscrupulous manufacturers can add substances containing genetically modified organisms to tahini or sesame halvah, which, most likely, is not useful for humans.

Types of halva

• Sunflower halva. The most popular halva in our country is, of course, sunflower halva. We all know her since childhood and are loved by many. It is made from sunflower seeds. Its color should be about the same as the peeled seeds themselves. The benefits of sunflower halva are obvious. Its use can improve blood circulation, have a positive effect on the state of digestion in general, improve the functioning of the nervous system due to the rich content of B vitamins. Vitamins of this group can suppress depression and fight insomnia, they help even with such unpleasant ailments as acne and dandruff. Halva in sufficient quantities contains another vitamin useful for humans - vitamin D. Its content helps the body absorb calcium, we can say that it is simply necessary for this. What is calcium for our body? These are strong bones and teeth, nails and hair. Vitamin E contained in the dessert helps the body to stop the aging process. The benefit of sunflower halva lies in the fact that the seeds themselves are an excellent means of preventing such a formidable disease as myocardial infarction. Sunflower seeds are also able to have a beneficial effect on the normal functioning of the biliary tract and liver. They have another remarkable property - they are able to restrain the development of tumor processes in various organs such as the intestines, mammary glands, lungs, ovaries and human skin.
• Peanut halva. As the name implies, this is halva, which is obtained from peanuts. It differs in color from sunflower and should have a creamy hue. Peanuts are no less useful for the human body than sunflower seeds. The main advantage of peanuts is that they are incredibly rich in vitamin B9 or, as it is also called, folic acid. This vitamin is especially necessary for pregnant women, but not only for them. Among the advantages of folic acid is the ability to renew human cells, thereby slowing down the aging process. Other vitamins and microelements that make up peanuts make our nervous system work better, correct attention, and strengthen memory. Its beneficial effect on the body can not be overestimated, peanuts improve the functioning of the liver, heart and the entire cardiovascular system as a whole. It also removes free radicals well and inhibits the development of tumors.
• Sesame or tahini halva. In Turkey, halva is made from sesame seeds. It is called sesame or tahini halva. This halva is also called Turkish halva, since it comes from this country and it is there that it is made best. Sesame halva is much lighter than sunflower halva, it has a light gray hue, in addition, it is endowed with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Sesame is another storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Most of all it contains vitamin A, and this is vision, beautiful skin and the state of our immunity in general. Sesame is rich in zinc. This substance is necessary to have healthy hair and nails. Another valuable trace element is iron, which has a beneficial effect on the composition of the blood. Phosphorus in sesame improves brain function. Sesame seeds contribute to the normal functioning of the respiratory system, they also have anti-carcinogenic properties. They also have another, more recently discovered advantage. They are able to regulate oxygen metabolism, which helps cell renewal and enables the body to better recover from stress and stress. Sesame is also able to fight the effects of the negative effects of alcohol on the body and lower cholesterol levels.
• Nut halva. Not only peanut kernels are used as raw materials for the manufacture of nut halva. Other nuts are often taken as a basis, such as cashews, walnuts, almonds, pistachios. Nuts are extremely rich in various vitamins, especially such as A, E and vitamins of almost the entire group B. Nuts contain sufficient amounts of phosphorus and iron, calcium and potassium. Nuts should be consumed by the elderly to prevent the occurrence of senile dementia. They can also reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Such a variety of halva as pistachio is rarely found in stores, however, this does not detract from its taste and useful substances contained in it. It will help people recovering their strength after suffering illnesses, it is also indicated for problems with the liver and heart. Pistachios have another magical property. Known for their ability to act as an aphrodisiac. Sometimes you can find a mention of the Azov halva. However, this kind of halva does not exist. Speaking like this, they usually mean the products of the Azov confectionery factory.

Halva is not difficult to make at home. All the ingredients that make up halva are available to most of us. It is enough to follow the recipe and, most importantly, the production technology. Then you can get yourself a delicate homemade halva with a wonderful delicate taste and unsurpassed aroma.

Uzbek halva recipe

Ingredients:

• premium flour - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• melted - 25 g;
• milk - 2 tbsp.;
• water;
• white sugar - 0.5 tbsp.

Cooking

Melt the melted butter in a deep bowl, add the sifted flour and mix. Brown the mixture until it turns brown. After that, pour in a little water and stir again so that there are no lumps. Boil milk separately, throw sugar into it and wait for complete dissolution. Then we combine milk syrup with toasted flour and boil over low heat until thickened. We put the finished Uzbek white halva into molds greased with oil and carefully tamp. When the delicacy has completely cooled, cut it into small pieces and serve.

Uzbek halva with nuts

Ingredients:

• - 200 g;
• sesame - 100 g;
• flour - 250 g;
• butter - 110 g;
• vanillin.

For syrup:

• sugar - 250 g;
• salo;
• water - 400 ml.

Cooking

First, let's prepare the syrup: boil water in a saucepan and pour the required amount of sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat until thick.

Roast the sesame seeds lightly and set aside. Brown the flour in a frying pan, pre-greased with lamb fat. We skip all the nuts several times through a meat grinder. After that, mix the flour with sugar syrup and nuts. We transfer the resulting mass to an enamel bowl and cook the Uzbek halva, constantly stirring, over medium heat. After 25 minutes, we shift the delicacy into a mold and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. We tighten the halvah with a film, lightly press down on top and close the form with a tight lid.

Uzbek halva with pistachios

Ingredients:

Cooking

So, we take a cast-iron pan, pour milk and pour chopped pistachios. Then throw in sugar and ghee. Mix everything thoroughly and bring to a boil over medium heat. After that, reduce the flame and boil the mass, stirring occasionally with a spoon. When there is almost no milk left, remove the dishes from the stove and put the halva into a prepared container. After complete solidification, cut the delicacy into rhombuses and decorate with a nut. You can optionally sprinkle halvah with sesame seeds, fine powdered sugar or chopped walnuts.

Samarkand halva is an oriental delicacy that is not only sweet and tasty, but also nutritious. You can cook it with your own hands. At the same time, you can get complete confidence in the usefulness and naturalness of all components.

This type of halva differs from the usual, well-known sunflower one in that walnuts and sesame seeds are used here. These components endow Samarkand halva with an interesting, delicate taste that shocks and makes many of those who have tried it fall in love with them.

Cooking Ingredients

Samarkand halva, the recipe of which is presented below, is also called halvaitara or Uzbek halva, it is prepared quickly and not as difficult as it seems at first glance to an inexperienced hostess.

All ingredients can be bought at the store or taken at home if you have the opportunity:

• Walnuts - you will need about 200-250 g.
• Sesame - 100 g.
• Butter - 100 g.
• Wheat flour (preferably sifted) - 250 g
• Vanilla sugar - one sachet.
• Granulated sugar - 250 g.

You can also add if you like:

• Almonds - 100 g.
• Pistachios - 100 g.
• Water - two glasses

Cooking syrup

Samarkand halva is a product that consists of three main ingredients: syrup, toasted flour and nuts.

To prepare the syrup, you should take an enamel pan, pour two glasses of water into it and bring to a boil. Add 250 g of sugar to boiling water. In this case, the heating temperature should not exceed the average. Constantly stirring, try to prevent a stable boil. Thus, cook the syrup for 5-7 minutes. In this case, you can not let him boil more than 3 times. If everything is done correctly, you will get a weak sugar syrup of medium density.

frying flour

This procedure should be given special attention, as the flour can be easily overcooked. As a result, it will acquire a dark color and a bitter taste, which will spoil the whole halva as a whole.

You need to fry the flour in a large clean frying pan, greased with butter, over low heat, constantly stirring with a special spatula.

It is necessary to carry out the manipulation until the product changes its color to light brown or reddish.

The right choice of nuts for halva

High-quality nuts in Samarkand halva are the most important factor that affects its taste and shelf life.

Sesame must be fresh, without bitterness and smell good. It is thanks to its taste qualities and special aroma that such halvah has a distinctive taste that has conquered the East, and now Europe and Russia.

Sesame should be crushed. Although you can add it in its usual, pure form. You need to know that when grinding sesame seeds, Samarkand halva acquires a lighter shade.

Walnuts should also be inspected for the absence of mold and foreign odors. Next - grind them in a blender or pass through a meat grinder several times.

Mixing all the ingredients

In an enameled pan, in which there is already a slightly cooled syrup, add nuts and toasted flour, mix all the ingredients thoroughly and put on medium heat.

Cook, stirring constantly until the halva itself begins to lag behind the walls of the pan.

The finished delicacy must be placed in a special form, which should be chosen, given the fact that it will be difficult to get this product, because it will harden and may crumble.

It is best to use silicone molds or, in extreme cases, a rigid transparent film in which you can wrap the Samarkand halva. The form or film is smeared with oil, the delicacy is sprinkled with sesame seeds on top and bottom and left in the refrigerator for a couple of hours until it cools completely.

Samarkand halva, the recipe with a photo of which can be found in this article, is ready.

Happy cooking and bon appetit!

how to cook uzbek white halva

1. Halva in Greek
   For the recipe you will need:
   - sugar - 4 cups
   - water - 4 cups
   - (or creamy) - 1 cup
   - large semolina - 2 cups
   - peeled almonds - 1/2 cup
   - - taste
   Pour water into the sugar and boil for about 10 minutes or until the syrup thickens. Bring the butter to a boil, add semolina gradually and stir until browned. Then pour the syrup into the semolina in a stream, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens. Divide the almonds in half, add to the semolina mixture, stir and remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the halvah into a mold and leave to cool. When the halva has cooled, take it out of the mold, put it on a dish and sprinkle it.

   For the recipe you will need:
   - lump sugar - 400g
   - - 1/2 tsp.
   - water - 1/2 cup
   - egg (proteins) - 3 pcs.
   – powdered sugar – 200g
   - fried hazelnuts or walnuts - 1.5 cups.
   Akalva is a festive white halva with nuts - a symbol of joy, hope and rebirth. It is eaten at the festive table, on birthdays and weddings, at friendly meetings. They believe that halva brings joy and well-being, akalva is given to children, friends, dear guests, presented as a token of gratitude and special respect, important undertakings are celebrated with it.
   Boil sugar syrup, cool to a warm state, add acid. Stir the whites whipped into foam into the syrup and cook in a copper basin over low heat, stirring continuously for 2.5 - 3.0 hours. When the mass thickens so much that when cooled on a fork it will bounce when tapped with a finger, add nuts. Put on a board on powdered sugar, cool, cut sausages as thick as a finger, cut into 6-7 cm and wrap in wax paper. You can also cook small thick cakes - kulche. Store closed in a cool dry place.
   The complexity of preparation is justified by excellent taste. A well-cooked acalva is snow white, brittle, breaks into pieces when dropped onto a marble slab, and can keep for over a month.

   Halva pistachio
   For the recipe you will need:
   - pistachio nuts (peeled) - 1.5 cups
   - water - 1 cup
   - milk - 2 tbsp. l.
   - sugar - 1/2 cup
   - butter or ghee-5 tsp.
   - vanilla essence - a few drops.
   
   Drop in the vanilla essence and stir, then place on the prepared baking sheet and smooth out. Leave to cool completely, then cut into 20 squares with a saw blade.
   This halva can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

2. Halva from peanuts

   Fry the nuts, peel and scroll through the fine grate of the meat grinder twice. Fry the flour in a pan until golden brown, mix with nuts and mix thoroughly. Pour sugar into a saucepan, add water and boil the syrup. Pour it into the nuts and beat quickly. Let cool.

   2 cups roasted peanuts, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, #189; glass of water

3. We are preparing such a halva:

   PISTACHIO HALVA,

   1.5 cups of shelled pistachio nuts; 1 cup boiling water; 2 tbsp. spoons of milk; 0.5 cups of sugar; 4.5 teaspoons of butter or ghee; a few drops of vanilla essence.
   Put the pistachios in a wide bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Grease an 18x18 square tin with butter.
   Drain pistachios thoroughly and place in a blender or food processor fitted with metal attachments. Add milk and grind to a fine crumble. Put sugar and stir. Heat a deep non-stick frying pan, add butter and melt over low heat. Add the nut butter and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
   Drop in the vanilla essence and stir, then place on the prepared baking sheet and smooth out. Leave to cool completely, then cut into 20 squares with a saw blade.
   Bon appetit!

4. HALVA WITH MILK IN UZBEK
   Ingredients:
   3 art. spoons of flour, 1 tbsp. tablespoon melted butter, 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup sugar.
   Cooking
   Melt the melted butter in a deep frying pan, then add the sifted flour, mix thoroughly and fry until the flour turns brown.
   After that, add a little water and stir again so that there are no lumps.
   Boil milk, add sugar to it and stir until it is completely dissolved. Then combine milk syrup with fried flour and cook over low heat until the mass thickens.
   Put the finished halva into greased molds and tamp. When the halva has cooled, cut it into portions and serve.

By chance, when buying vegetables, my eyes fell on sets of oriental sweets. I did not buy in a store, but in a small market. On the label - Tashkent halva.

It is represented by three types: creamy, chocolate and pistachio.

I was surprised by the large amount of crushed and whole nuts: cashews, almonds and seeds. Of course I did. One package costs 100 rubles. Weight: 400 grams. I had never tried such a halva before and did not even know that such a thing existed. And where, if not on airek, you can find information that this is halva-kos. Found on the Internet

Kos-halva Halva is a national traditional dessert of Central Asia. In the East, there are numerous varieties of this sweet product, which have an unusual taste and are of great benefit to the body. It should be noted that in translation from Arabic halva and it translates as "sweetness".

The composition is natural. No chemistry was found. But this is in a slichvochnoy halva. I do not think that pistachio did without dyes. The packaging, however, leaves much to be desired. But I think that it is generally sold by weight. This is already the sellers themselves, the owners of the outlet came up with. But well done guys. They did everything right.

And now about the taste of creamy halva. We can say for sure that this is heavenly pleasure. Very light, sweet but not cloying. It has nothing to do with ordinary sunflower or peanut halva, which, by the way, I don’t like at all. Feels like a cross between sherbet, nougat and white chocolate. The consistency is neither hard nor loose, it does not crumble. Nuts were not spared - there are a huge number of them: crushed cashews, crushed and whole almonds, seeds.

Of course, the trouble is with calorie content: 380 kcal per 100 grams. But I will not deny myself this delicacy. Twice a day, 20 grams, yes I will eat.

I am always happy to discover new flavors. Oriental cuisine continues to fall in love with itself. This sweet has now settled in my kitchen for a long time. But it was creamy, chocolate and pistachio that I didn’t like.