Halva
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Halva / Halava | |
|---|---|
 Balkan style tahini-based halva with pistachios |
|
| Arabic name | |
| حَلاوة | |
| Armenian name | |
| հալվա | |
| Bulgarian and Russian name | |
| халва | |
| Greek name | |
| χαλβάς | |
| Hebrew name | |
| חלבה | |
| Kurdish name | |
| helaw | |
| Macedonian name | |
| алва | |
| Persian name | |
| حلوا | |
| Polish name | |
| chałwa | |
| Romanian name | |
| halva | |
| Turkish name | |
| helva | |
The word halva is used to describe two distinctly different types of sweet, block shaped confections. One type of halva is based on semolina that is popular in India, Pakistan, and Persia. The other type is based on tahini, which is more popular in the east Mediterranean region.
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[edit] Types
Both types of halva are relatively dense confections that are sweetened with sugar or honey. However, their textures are quite different with semolina halva being more gelatinous and translucent, while tahini halva being drier and more crumbly.
[edit] Semolina
Halva produced and served in India, Pakistan, Persia and surrounding countries (different versions of it are also found in Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey), is usually made with semolina wheat, sugar or honey, and butter or vegetable oil. Raisins, dates, or other dried fruits are often included. Nuts such as almonds are also commonly added to semolina halva. The halva is very sweet with a gelatinous texture similar to polenta. The added butter gives it a rich mouthfeel too.
Though semolina halva is considered to be essentially a "Northern" confection in India, it is also quite famous in South India. A prominent South Indian version of halva (or "alvaa", as it is called in Tamil) is from Tirunelveli (pronounced Thiru-nel-vaeli), a city in the state of Tamil Nadu.
[edit] Tahini
Tahini halva is popular in the western part of the the Balkans, Middle East, and other areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The primary ingredients in this confection are tahini and sugar or honey, with Vanilla or Marshmallow root (called "Halawa") extracts as common flavorings. Also, liqorice extract is used to bleaching of boiled sugar syrup. Other ingredients such as pistachio nuts, cacao powder orange juice, or chocolate are often added to the basic tahini and sugar base, resulting in a variety of flavors. [1]
[edit] Other
Another popular type of halva served in India and Pakistan is carrot based and is usually prepared with condensed milk and ghee.
[edit] Etymology and cultural use
Halva is the modern English spelling and the transliterations of most Balkan languages. Other transliterations include: halava (Sanskrit), halvah (Hebrew), halwa or halwi (Arabic), helva (Turkish), halwa (alternate Hindi) or alwaa (Tamil).
The Hebrew spelling, halvah, may at times be used to refer specifically to the Jewish variety. The Arabic word halwa is a generic term for candy, or "sweetmeat" in literal translation. It is also sometimes spelt Chalva. Ultimately the word halva comes from the Arabic word halwa; the root word is hilwa meaning sweet. The root word is also the basis for the Arabic words for "good" (hala') and "very sweet" (hali).
[edit] Greece
In Greece the term "Χαλβα" (halva) is used for both varieties of the dessert. The dish was popular in the Byzantine Empire, and it is very popular throughout the country especially during Great Lent and other fasts. Halva is considered one of the most delicious Greek desserts which is appropriate under Orthodox Christian fasting guidelines.
[edit] Bulgaria
In Bulgaria the term "халва" (halva) is used for both kinds of the dessert. Tahini halva (тахан халва) is more popular and can be found in all food stores. Two different types of tahini halva are made - one using sunflower seed tahini and another using sesame seed tahini. Traditionally, the regions of Yablanitsa and Haskovo are famous for their halva. Semolina halva (грис халва) is made at home and can be found only in some pastry stores. A third type is white halva (бяла халва), which is made of sugar. The latter is popular on the last Sunday before the Easter fast (Sirni Zagovezni; Сирни заговезни), when a piece of white halva is tied on a string. All the children at the party stand in a circle and must catch the turning piece of halva with their mouths.
[edit] Turkey
In Turkey, the term "halva" (helva but also colloquially, halva) is the commonly used for any dessert that is not prepared from processed doughs (such as phyllo dough in types of baklava) or with milk (in types of sütlaç) as the primary ingredient. In fact the term "halva" is used by Turkish people, to describe tahini, wheat flour, or semolina halva, called "tahin helvası", "un helvası", and "irmik helvası", respectively. Semolina halva (garnished with pine nuts) has a cultural significance in Turkish folk religion.
[edit] Tamil
Halva enjoys a special status in popular jargon in the state of Tamil Nadu. "Enakkae alvaavaa?" (roughly translated as "are you trying to give me alvaa?!") is a humorous colloquial Tamil phrase used when the speaker feels that another person is trying to outsmart him or her.
The city of Tirunelveli is famous for its halva and is immortalized in a popular Tamil comic song (originally from a movie) that includes the line "Thirunelvaeli alvaa daa, Thiruchi malai koetta daa, Tirupathikkae laddu thandha saami daa". This refers to some South Indian cities and what they are popularly associated with, namely: Tirunelveli with its delicious alvaa, Tiruchi with the famous Rock Fort temple dedicated to Lord Vinayaka; and the Hindu pilgrim destination, Tirupathi, with a sweet called laddu.
Even in Tirunelveli halwa, there is an halwa called 'Irutukadai alvaa' which is well known throughout Tamilnadu. The shop is called 'Irutukadai' because the shop serves halva only after six in the evening. This kind of halva is known for its delicious red color with ghee floating on it. The halva in the southern state was brought by North Indian businessmen or "Lalas", and hence the famous name "Lala Kadai Halva" (Lala's Shop Halva).
