Omani Halwa

Ingredients

• 350 g caster sugar
• 150 g jaggery, grated
• 1.5 litres water, 1 litre for the slurry, 450 ml for the sugar and 50 ml for the saffron ⇄
• 150 g cornflour
• 200 g ghee, melted ⇄
• 0.5 g saffron threads ⇄
• 5 g ground cardamom
• 1 g ground nutmeg
• 5 ml rose water
• 100 g cashews, halved
• 2 g fine salt

Equipment

Grater / zester

Allergen screen

Found: dairy · nuts

Screened for: gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, molluscs, soy, sesame, celery, mustard, lupin, alcohol. Not screened: sulphites.

Screened by keyword from the ingredient list, not reviewed by a person; check every label for what the list cannot show.

Method

1. Steep the saffron in 50 ml of warm water, and whisk the cornflour into 1 litre of the cold water until perfectly smooth.
2. Dissolve the sugar and jaggery in the last 450 ml of water over gentle heat without letting it boil down, take the pan off the heat, and whisk the cold slurry in while the sugar solution is still thin and warm; never pour a cold liquid into a hot concentrated syrup.
3. Return the pan to a low heat and stir without stopping until the mixture turns from milky to translucent and heavy and a dragged spoon holds an open trench, about 30 minutes. 30 min
4. Add the ghee in six additions, letting each one be fully absorbed and the mass come back together before the next, with the saffron water, cardamom, nutmeg, rose water and salt, until it pulls from the pan in one glossy amber sheet, about 45 minutes more. 45 min
5. Stir in the cashews, press into an oiled dish 3 cm deep, and cool 4 hours before cutting into squares. 240 min