Omani Halwa (Rosewater, Saffron and Cardamom Sweet)
Local name: حلوى عمانية
In short: A dense, glossy sweet of caramelized sugar, starch and ghee stirred for an hour and scented with rose water, saffron and cardamom. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Resting
- 4 h
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 250 kcal
Omani halwa is a dense, glossy, translucent sweet, served with cardamom coffee and dates when guests arrive and at every celebration. Cooks stir sugar syrup, starch and ghee over low heat for the better part of an hour until the mixture turns thick and shiny, then perfume it with rose water, saffron, cardamom and nutmeg. Nuts are scattered on top. A small piece goes a long way, which is why it is offered alongside coffee.
Instructions
- Grease a 20 cm (8 in) square dish with ghee. Stir the cornstarch into 250 ml (1 cup) of the cold water until smooth and set it aside. Heat the remaining 500 ml (2 cups) of water until hot.
- Heat 100 g (1/2 cup) of the sugar with the 2 tbsp water in a large heavy pot over medium heat, without stirring, until it turns deep amber, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Standing back, because the caramel will spatter, pour in the hot water. Stir until the caramel dissolves, then add the remaining sugar and the salt and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat. Stir the starch mixture again and pour it in, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, adding 1 tbsp of ghee every 5 minutes. After 35 to 45 minutes the mixture turns glossy, translucent and deep amber, and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- Stir in the saffron, cardamom, nutmeg, rose water and half of the almonds. Cook for 3 more minutes.
- Scrape the halwa into the dish and smooth the top. Press the remaining almonds and the pistachios into the surface. Cool, uncovered, for at least 4 hours until set.
- Cut into small squares and serve with Arabic coffee and dates.
Tips
- Do not stop stirring. The starch sets on the bottom quickly, and scorched bits cannot be rescued. Keep the heat low and use a heavy pot.
- For a lighter, golden halwa, skip the caramel and use plain sugar with a little extra saffron. It will be paler but still good.
Questions and answers
How long does Omani halwa keep?
Airtight at room temperature it keeps for up to 2 weeks. It firms up in the fridge, so bring it back to room temperature before serving.
Why is my halwa lumpy or too soft?
Lumps come from adding the starch without whisking. Soft halwa was not cooked long enough, so keep going until it clearly pulls away from the sides and holds its shape on a spoon.
Can I use less sugar?
A little, but the sugar gives halwa its structure and shelf life. Cutting it by more than 20 percent makes the result softer and less glossy.
How long does it take to make Omani Halwa (Rosewater, Saffron and Cardamom Sweet)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Omani Halwa (Rosewater, Saffron and Cardamom Sweet)?
About 250 kcal per serving, with 2 g of protein, 36 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 250 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 25 g |
| Sodium | 50 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
