Anday ka Halwa
انڈے کا حلوہ
Anday ka halwa is a winter dessert from Punjab and Hyderabad, rich enough that it's often served in small bowls. Eggs, milk, sugar and are whisked together and stirred constantly in ghee over low heat until the mixture scrambles into fine grains, dries out and turns golden. Cardamom covers any eggy smell, and the result tastes more like a nutty, buttery sweet-shop halwa than anything made with eggs.
- ⏱ Total: 35 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 25 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, khoya and cardamom together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves and no streaks of egg white remain. A hand blender makes this easy.
Heat the ghee in a heavy over low heat. Pour in the egg mixture and immediately start stirring.
Keep stirring and scraping the bottom continuously for 15–20 minutes. The mixture will thicken, then break into soft curds, then gradually dry into fine grains and turn golden as the ghee separates.
When the halwa is golden, grainy and leaving the sides of the pan, stir in the kewra and half the nuts and cook for 1 more minute.
Serve warm, topped with the remaining almonds and pistachios.
Kitchen notes
Low heat and constant stirring are essential. On high heat the egg sets into lumps and tastes like sweet scrambled egg.
If you're sensitive to egg smell, add a pinch more cardamom and the kewra, and cook until fully golden.
A non-stick or heavy-based pan makes the constant stirring much easier.
A winter treat
When the cold sets in, many Pakistani homes make warming sweets: gajar halwa, pinni and this one, anday ka halwa. It’s quick, needs only a few ingredients, and a small bowl after dinner is enough on a cold night.
How eggs become halwa
The key is patience at low heat. The egg mixture goes into hot ghee and is stirred without stopping. First it thickens like custard, then it separates into soft curds, and then, as the moisture cooks off, those curds break down into fine, sandy grains that fry in the ghee and turn golden. That browning gives it its nutty, caramel taste and removes any hint of egg.
or milk powder adds the milky richness of a sweet-shop halwa, and cardamom with a few drops of kewra gives the fragrance.
Serving
Serve warm in small portions with sliced almonds and pistachios. It’s rich, so a little goes a long way.
Questions people ask
Does it taste of egg?
Not when it's cooked until golden. The long frying in ghee with cardamom turns it nutty, more like a milk halwa.
Can I make it without khoya?
Yes. Use 4 tablespoons of milk powder, or simply leave it out; the halwa will be a little less rich.
How long does it keep?
Three days in the fridge. Reheat gently in a pan, stirring.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
