Balehannu Halwa Recipe (Banana Halwa Recipe)

Banana halwa, also known as Balehannu halwa, is a popular sweet from Karnataka, especially in the Mangalore region. This simple halwa comes together with a handful of ingredients and is packed with rich banana flavour with a soft, melt-in-mouth texture. It is also a great way to use ripe bananas at home. Learn how to make this easy, delicious banana halwa with step-by-step pictures.

Banana Halwa Recipe (Balehannu Halwa)

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About Balehannu Halwa

Unlike regular halwa varieties made with flour, lentils or sooji, this recipe uses pureed bananas as the main ingredient. The banana puree is cooked with sugar and caramel until it thickens.

The important part of making banana halwa is cooking the puree patiently until it reaches the right consistency. At first, the mixture will look loose and soft, but as it cooks, the moisture evaporates and the halwa becomes thick and glossy.

I love how caramel transforms this simple banana halwa into something so rich and flavourful. It gives the halwa a beautiful deep brown colour and with a hint of caramelized sweetness that makes every bite special. As the mixture cooks with ghee, it slowly thickens, turns glossy and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

This banana halwa is perfect to make for festivals, special occasions or when you have ripe bananas to use up. You can enjoy it warm as a soft halwa or let it cool completely and cut it into pieces.

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Ingredients

Banana : Use any banana variety such as nendran, yelakki, poovan or any other for making this halwa. Peel and puree them smoothly before using.
Sugar : Sugar adds necessary sweetness to the halwa and helps give it a glossy texture. It is also used to make the caramel.
Ghee : Use pure ghee for flavour.
Cardamom powder : A little cardamom powder gives the halwa aroma.
Water : Water used to make the caramel with sugar. Add it carefully while preparing the caramel.
Cashews & Kishmish : Cashews and kishmish are used for garnishing the halwa. Fry them in ghee until they turn golden and kishmish puff up.

Step by Step Pictures

1)I am using around 4 inch square pan. Grease the pan generously with ghee and set aside.

2)Now lets make halwa. Heat 2 tablespoon of ghee in a nonstick pan, add mashed bananas and sugar. Mix well until sugar melts into the banana.

3)Cook banana and sugar together until it starts to thicken and leaves the side of the pan.

4)Now you can see the banana has thickened and started to leave the sides of the pan.

5)Meanwhile I made the caramel on the other side of the stove. Take sugar and little water in a sauce pan. Place on medium high heat and cook until the sugar caramelize.

6)Place it on flame and boil till sugar melts. Once it boils you have to cook till it reaches caramel stage.

7)The colour of the sugar syrup will determine the colour of the halwa. So you can take the sugar to dark colour if you prefer your halwa to be on the darker side.

8)This is the colour I want in my caramel. Pour the dark caramel into the banana.

9)Mix the caramel into the halwa. The caramel may harden as you pour it into the halwa. But as you keep cooking the sugar will melt and mix into the halwa.

10)Now start adding ghee little at a time and keep cooking. The halwa will start to thicken and leave the sides of the pan.

11)Now lets fry the nuts to add into the halwa. Heat ghee in a pan, add in chopped almonds, cashews and fry till golden brown.

12)Once the nuts are fried, add in raisins (golden sultanas) and fry till golden brown.

13)Add this into the halwa along with the ghee in which we fried and mix well.

14)Add in ground cardamom and mix well.

15)Mix the cardamom into the halwa. Cook until halwa is thickened like this. It should form into a ball once cooked.

16)Spoon into the greased pan. Spread evenly and let it set for few hours.

17)Cut into cubes and serve.

Expert Tips

Choosing Banana – Choose ripe or overripe bananas for making halwa. Blend them into smooth paste before cooking.

Sweetness to your taste – Adjust the sugar quantity according to the sweetness of the banana.

Caramel colour – While preparing the caramel, cook the sugar until it turns into a light golden caramel. Don’t let it turn too dark, as it can make the halwa taste bitter.

Cook patiently – Halwa takes time to reach the right consistency. Keep the flame low to medium and avoid rushing the cooking process.

Storage – Allow the banana halwa to cool completely before storing. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 3 days. You can refrigerate the halwa for up to a week.

Serving – Serve banana halwa as a dessert after lunch or dinner. It tastes delicious to enjoy as an evening snack along with a cup of hot tea, black coffee, vadai or pakora.

FAQ

Q. Which banana is best for making banana halwa ?

Traditionally, Nendran bananas are used to make banana halwa. However, you can also use ripe yelakkai or other bananas. Each variety gives a delicious halwa with a slightly different color and flavour.

Q. Why is my banana halwa not getting thick ?

Banana contains a lot of moisture, so the mixture needs enough cooking time to thicken. Continue cooking on low to medium heat while stirring until the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

Q. Can I make soft banana halwa instead of cutting it into pieces ?

Yes, you can ! Simply cook the mixture until it reaches a thick but soft consistency. Transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy it with a spoon instead of setting it in a tray.

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