Sweet nothings: A love story that began with black rice halwa

Chennai

This is a love story that started with a dish called dodol or dhol dhol halwa. I was studying in Stella Maris College and as hostelites, we were perpetually hungry for food and attention. Residing in hostels, our only aim was food — all actions were based on laying our hands on something edible. Eating Horlicks out of the bottle and cooking stolen eggs over candles were regular features. Christmas time was special, for you got to drink hot chocolate eat Goan kulkuls and dhol dhol halwa.

My friend Mira, now Mira Bhupathi, was the food secretary of our hostel. A Sri Lankan who brought with her the richness of Sri Lankan culture and food, she came, she saw and conquered the heart of Krishna Bhupathi, then an upcoming tennis player. Every day, there would be a packet of her favourite special dhol dhol halwa waiting in the parlour for her. Wednesdays were visiting days and all of us would hide behind the bushes and watch the meeting of Mira and Krishna. Our interest was simple — the packet of dhol dhol halwa made by his grandmother. An accident changed it all and Krishna’s tennis career came to end, but only to be pursued through their son Mahesh Bhupathi. Mira and Bhupathi’s love affair was as famous in college as that of the film stars’. Mira and Krishna not only had a son who made them proud, but they became his partners in his tennis academy. Mira has dedicated her life to spiritually uplifting people. Love and food have a strong connection — whether it is a candle-light dinner, a family feast or a love’s offering of dhol dhol halwa.

The black rice halwa is a delicious dessert purported to be another legacy of the Portuguese to the Indian cuisine. Main ingredients are black rice powder, almonds, cashew nuts, coconut milk and lots of ghee. This delicacy takes hours to prepare and many hands for stirring it. The whole family is usually roped in to help stir the black bubbling mass till it turns into a delicious, mouth-watering halwa. The dish is also popular in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Kavani Arsi Halwa

Prep: 360 minutes

Cooks in: 60 minutes

Total: 420 minutes

Makes: 4 Servings

Calories: 420 cl per serving of 3 pieces

Ingredients

Black Rice: 1 cup

Fresh coconut: 1 cup grated

Jaggery: 1 cup powdered

Cow ghee: 1 cup

Cardamom: ½ teaspoon powdered

Almonds: 1/4 cup diced

Method

• To begin making Kavuni arisi halwa, wash and soak black rice overnight.
• Drain water and add the soaked rice to mixer along with little water and grind into paste. 
• In a separate mixer jar, add grated coconut along with a little water and extract thick coconut milk from this pulp.
• Add the coconut back to the mixer and add some more water. Grind for a minute and now extract the thin coconut milk. Keep aside.
• Heat a heavy bottomed pan, add the powdered jaggery and thin coconut milk to it. Stir until jaggery dissolves.
• Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame and add black rice paste.
• Keep stirring until it thickens like porridge.
• Once it thickens, add the thick coconut milk and cook on a medium flame stirring continuously until it starts coming together like halwa. 
• Add the cardamom powder and diced almonds.
• Add ghee little by little and keep cooking until the ghee incorporates into the halwa and comes out leaving sides of the pan.
• The halwa becomes darker as it gets thicker.
• Once the halwa comes together like a whole mass, remove the pan from the flame and pour into greased plate.
• Allow it to cool and cut into squares.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook in small quantities. That way if it does not come out right, the wastage is less.
• Plan what you are going to do and note the steps down. Buy things well before. Ready coconut milk can be the answer for busy cooks. 
• Most importantly, enjoy your time in the kitchen. If it does not come out well, it’s ok. No need to be hard on yourself, you can also redo the dish.

— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of 'Festive  Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes'

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