Ethapazham Halwa/Banana Halwa

Do you love plantains? This tropical fruit is sweet and starchy. Whether you love or hate them, this sweet plantain halwa is a delicious treat that you should try. And I guarantee it will quickly become your favorite plantain sweet treats! This halwa smells amazing, with an intense caramelized fruity, plantain flavor, and is a die for! Halwa is a popular, sweet in India known for its gel-like candy texture and is so addictive. Halwas of different shades and colors are beautifully arranged, in glass shelves in Indian bakeries. Halwa is adored by young and old in Kerala, and there is an indispensable part of festivals and celebrations.

Ethapazham/ Nenthra Pazham/banana halwa is best when made with overripe plantains. If you have some black-spotted overripe plantains sitting on the kitchen counter, don't be tempted to throw then away. It is best for this recipe. Plantain halwa is very popular in Kerala, and you get the best banana halwa is Kozhikode, a city in North Kerala. When making halwa, there is a time-honored cooking technique, and halwa making is time-consuming. But it is a rewarding experience. It takes a little practice and effort to make the most authentic version. The secret behind a perfect halwa is uniform high heat, and constant stirring. Traditionally this is made in a urali or a heavy bottom wide vessel, made of thick bell metal. Here I used a cast-iron skillet to make halwa. This recipe is a simplified home-made version.

Ethapazham halwa has an intense flavor and is a rich and luxurious dessert. Plantains are naturally sweet, and roasting enhances flavor and sweetness. Coconut milk, cardamom, and ghee also add layers of flavor and taste. The sweetener used is jaggery or unfiltered sugar from coconut sap. It has a rich molasses taste.

This halwa is similar to karutha halwa/black halwa with fruit flavor added to it. It is best to use dark color jaggery or natural jaggery for dark color and richer flavor. But if you are not a fan of jaggery add sugar instead. A tip to enhance the flavor and color is to add caramelized sugar syrup. Nuts add a delightful crunch, and you can use cashew nuts, almonds, and pistachios. So get your ingredients together and try this recipe. Let me know how it turned out for you:)

Ethapazham/ Sweet Plantain Halwa

Ingredients
Ripe plantains/Nendra pazham- 5 small sized
Sugar- 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery- 1 cup
( or you can use two cups of sugar)
Ghee- 1/3- 1/2 cup
Cardamon powder- 1 tsp
Chopped cashew nuts- 3 tbs

Bring one cup of water to a boil. Add powdered jaggery and allow it to dissolve. Strain the impurities and set aside.
Chop ripe plantain/ethapazham into small pieces. If possible peel off the center portion which has black seeds. There are two ways to prepare the plantain. Finely chop or grate the plantain or steam it till soft and gently mash it.
Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a heavy bottom pan and toast the nuts till golden brown. Remove and keep aside for later garnish.
In the same pan add the grated plantains and saute for five to six minutes. Add sugar and continuously stir for another eight minutes. The sugar will caramelize and the mixture will change color, from pale yellow to a golden brown. Add the jaggery water and cook till it is mashed up and gets reduced. Stir continuously for another 8-10 minutes and in between go on adding the ghee to prevent it from sticking. Add cardamom powder and chopped roasted nuts. The halwa is ready when it leaves the edges of the pan and can be rolled into a ball with the spatula. You can also see ghee separating. The whole process will take around 25- 30 minutes. Take a greased steel plate or tray and spread this mixture evenly (use the backside of a spoon to spread and make it smooth). Allow this to sit for three to four hours and then cut into desired shapes.