With winter at our doors, here’s our guide to enjoying indulgent varieties of this mithai in the city
Mahim halwa being prepared at Joshi Budhakaka Mahim Halvawala
Mahim’s most wanted
In the 1780s, a man called Joshi Jethabhai travelled to Bombay — then, a group of seven islands — on foot, all the way from Jamkhambhalia, a small town in Gujarat, with his son Mavji and grandson Girdhar. They settled in the island of Mahim, under Portuguese rule, and sold boondi laddoo, thor and namkeen from door to door. Eventually, Girdharbhai, who was keen to whip up new products, invented a paper-thin halwa.
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Crafted out of wheat extract, sugar, ghee and dry fruits, it struck a chord for its thinness and texture, and came to be known as Mahim Halwa (Rs 600/kg) around 1830. In 1921, the shop Joshi Budhakaka Mahim Halvawala was set up in Mahim by the family — budhakaka, a hat-tip to Mavjibhai’s affectionate nickname, shares Hasmukh Joshi, one of the managing partners. “With a shelf life of a month, it is still one of the most popular halwas in the city. It takes 24 hours to make it, and contains no preservatives,” explains Joshi. Known for nearly 18 varieties of halwa today, they also offer new-age flavours (Rs 1,000/kg) including cranberry, blackcurrant, rose and mango halwas that are popular with millennials as well as loyalists, he adds.
At: Joshi Budhakaka Mahim Halvawala, Mahim, Dadar and Tardeo.
Call: 7208774245
Carrot cravings
There are few mithais that enjoy the loyalty that an indulgent gajar ka halwa demands. Playing on its popularity, Lower Parel-based restaurant Ishaara offers an innovative spin: the gajar halwa crumble (Rs 380 onwards). Made with seasonal sweeter carrots, it is a lighter halwa that is served in a shortcrust cup, masked with burnt cream and topped with crumble.
At: 3rd floor, Palladium Mall, Lower Parel
Log on to: Swiggy and Zomato
Call: 8657531988
Ice, ice baby
If you’re in the city, you can’t miss the ubiquitous ice halwa or Bombay ice halwa. Matunga’s Nayaks Sweets & Snacks, run by the owners of Cafe Mysore, doles out a wafer-thin version (Rs 500) that comprises corn flour, sugar, pista and maida, and comes in two varieties: kesar and white.
At: 7/461, Durlabh Nivas, Bhau Daji Road, near Cafe Mysore, King’s Circle, Matunga (Central)
Log on to: cafemysore.com
Meating point
While halwas are largely considered grain-based, the royal kitchen of Malwa guards recipes that involve the use of eggs and red meat. Chef Anuradha Joshi Medhora, founder, Charoli, which celebrates the heritage cuisine, reveals that maas ka halwa (Rs 400 onwards) and ande ka halwa (Rs 320 onwards) were conjured up for fussy young princes.
“The sweetness coaxed them into eating the proteins and getting nourishment. In winter, egg and red meat were preferred as they’re believed to warm you on the inside,” she explains. The key ingredient in both the halwas is the proteins. The mutton and egg are first boiled and then used as the base. She adds that as most people shy away from eating protein as desserts, they stopped making these recipes. “Thankfully, my grandfather loved his meat too much and believed that food can heal. So, he kept a lot of old recipes alive.”
Log on to: Swiggy and Zomato
Call: 9833549949 (ande ka halwa requires pre-ordering)
Punjabi favourites
Panjeeri laddoos
If the more conventional varieties such as gajar ka halwa, moong dal halwa and atte ka halwa (Rs 275 onwards) call out to you, home chef Inderpreet Nagpal of Rummy’s Kitchen HerbsnSpices rustles up these confections based on age-old family recipes. Like her mother and grandmother, the Punjabi home chef also prepares panjeeri laddoos (Rs 275 onwards), a dry halwa made of atta, ghee and a lot of dry fruits that ensure warmth in winters.
Putha Kadah
“It’s very healthy and wholesome. I also make a family favourite, caramelised halwa or putha kadah [Rs 300 onwards]. Putha means ulta and kadah is halwa. The process to make it is totally the opposite of a general halwa.
For putha kadah, we first caramelise the sugar and then add soaked sooji and other ingredients,” she explains.
Log on to: @rummyskitchen on Instagram
Call: 9769211608
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