Badam Halwa

                                                         
                                                        Badam Halwa

     Badam Halwa, the most expensive sweet in the market. This sweet is quite simple to make at home, only a very few ingredients are needed to make this.
     Badam has many health benefits, it is considered as body coolant. It is consumed as such and also made into various sweets as Badam halwa, Badam katli, Badam milk , etc. Even it is used as thickening agent in some gravies and curries.  Coming to the recipe.

Cuisine: Indian Sweet
Servings: 2 to 3 persons

Ingredients:
Badam: 100 gms
Saffron: A few strands
Sugar: 50 gms
Milk: 2 tea spoons
Cardamon: 2 no's finely powdered
Ghee: 50 ml

Method:
1. Soak the badam in hot water for 4to 5 hours or overnight.
2. When it is completely soaked, peel off the skin.
3. Grind the de-skined badam into a fine paste using a mixie jar.
4. Place a pan on the stove over medium flame and add a tea spoon of ghee.
5. Now add the badam paste and stir well so that it does not stick to the pan for 5 minutes.
6. Add sugar too it and 1 tea spoon of ghee and mix well.
7. As the sugar melts it becomes watery, do not panic. It always tends so.
8. Keep on stirring adding ghee in between.
9. Add the cardamon powder. Soak saffron in a tea spoon of milk for 10 minutes, add this saffron to the badam halwa.
10. Keep on stirring, add the remaining ghee and the halwa appear glossy and comes out of the pan with out sticking. Put off the stove.
11. Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Note:
1. Adding saffron is optional, if you want you can use food color as well.
2. Since saffron is natural, I used it.
3. This halwa stays well for a week, if refrigerated.