Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox food Halva (also halvah, halwa, halua[1]) is a type of confectionery that is spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, East Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, Central Asia, and South Asia. The name refers to a broad variety of recipes, generally a thick paste made from flour, butter, oil, saffron, rosewater, milk, turmeric powder, and sugar.[2][3][4][5]
Etymology
Template:Wiktionary The word halva entered the English language between 1840 and 1850 from Romanian, which came from Template:Langx, itself ultimately derived from Template:Langx, a sweet confection.[6][7][8] The root in Template:Langx, means "sweet".[9] In the pre-Islamic period, the name for the category of confections that would develop into halva were called روغن خورديگ (rōɣæn xordīg) in Middle Persian, meaning "oil food".[10]
History
Halva originated in Persia (modern day Iran).[10][11] By the 9th century, the term was applied to numerous kinds of sweets, including the now-familiar sweetened cooked semolina or flour paste.[2][6] The first proper recipes of halva were documented in the 13th century Arabic cookbook Kitab al-Tabikh (The Book of Dishes), as well as an anonymous cookbook from 13th-century Al-Andalus.
Athenaeus mentions an ancient Greek dish called "sesamidios" (Ancient Greek: σησαμίδιός), which is described as a spherical cake made of honey, roasted sesame seeds, and oil; this dish is considered to have been the same as the sesame seed-based version of halva.[12] Halva was also eaten in the Byzantine Empire, where it was well-attested.[13] Later, it was adopted by the Ottoman Turks, including the sesame-based version, and spread throughout their empire.[6] A description of sesame-based halwa (called Template:Langx) can be found in an 1844 dictionary by Swedish Orientalist Template:Ill,[14] according to Al Adib magazine, a factory for tahini halwa was established as early as 1874 in Beirut.[15]
Types
Most types of halva are relatively dense confections sweetened with sugar or honey.[16] Their textures, however, vary. For example, semolina-based halva's texture can range from a buttery, moist, clumpy couscous[17] to something gelatinous and translucent, while sesame-based halva is drier and more crumbly.[18]
Grain-based halva
Grain-based halva is made by toasting flour or cornstarch in oil, mixing it into a roux, and then cooking it with a sugary syrup. Corn is rarely used.
Dishes made from wheat semolina include suji ka halwa in India, Pakistan, Shujir Halua in Bangladesh and Template:Lang in Turkey. In both dishes, semolina is toasted in fat, either oil or butter, and then mixed with water or milk and sugar to achieve the desired flavor and consistency.[19] Wheat-based sohan halwa in northern India and Pakistan is a renowned delicacy made by combining wheat flour with milk, sugar, clarified butter, cardamom, saffron, and nuts such as almonds and pistachios. The mixture is slow-cooked, allowing the sugar to caramelize, which gives Sōhan halvā its unique firm and brittle texture.
Dairy-based rice flour halva, known as Pathein halawa, is considered a Burmese delicacy native to the city of Pathein.
Sesame
Sesame halva is popular in the Balkans, Poland, the Middle East, and other areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
The primary ingredients in this confection are sesame butter or paste (tahini), and sugar, glucose or honey.[2] Soapwort[20][21] (called ‘erq al halaweh in Arabic; Template:Lang in Turkish), or egg white are added in some recipes to stabilize the oils in the mixture or create a distinctive texture for the resulting confection. Other ingredients and flavorings, such as pistachio nuts, cocoa powder, orange juice, vanilla, or chocolate are often added to the basic tahini and sugar base.[2][22]
Sunflower
Sunflower halva is popular in the countries of the former Soviet Union as well as in Bulgaria and Romania.[23] It is made of roasted ground sunflower seeds instead of sesame. It may include other ingredients, such as nuts, cocoa powder, or vanilla.[24][25] In 1996 around 4–5 thousand tonnes of sunflower halva were being produced by Ukraine annually.[26]Template:Update
Peanuts
In Argentina, Greek immigrants at the beginning of the 20th century created a kind of halva called mantecol from peanut butter, currently marketed under the name of Mantecol and also Nucrem. Such a product is widely consumed in the country.
Carrots
Gajar ka halwa, or gajorer halua, is a popular halva in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is made by slow-cooking grated carrots with milk, sugar, and ghee (clarified butter), often flavored with cardamom and garnished with nuts such as almonds, pistachios, or cashews. Sometimes, khoya (reduced milk solids) or condensed milk is added to enhance its richness and flavor.
Other
Floss halva
Template:See also Pişmaniye (Turkish) or floss halva is a traditional sweet, prepared in Kocaeli, Turkey, made by flossing thin strands of halva into a light confection. Made primarily of wheat flour and sugar, the strands are continuously wrapped into a ball shape and then compressed. The result is a halva with a light consistency, similar to cotton candy. Floss halva can be found in regular and pistachio flavors, and there are brands with halal or kosher certifications.
In Chinese cuisine, a floss-like candy similar to pişmaniye or pashmak halva, known as dragon beard candy, is eaten as a snack or dessert.
A raw version of halva also has become popular among proponents of raw food diets. In this version, a mixture of raw sesame tahini, raw almonds, raw agave nectar and salt are blended together and frozen to firm.[27]
Cultural and national variations
Albania
Albanian halva (Template:Langx) tends to have flour, sugar and olive oil and is similar to nougat. It is often topped with nuts.[28][29]
Armenia
Armenian halva tends to have semolina flour, sesame, honey, butter and sugar.[30]
Azerbaijan
One regional variant is from Sheki where Şəki halvası halva refers to a layered bakhlava style pastry filled with spiced-nut mix and topped by crisscrossed patterns of a red syrup made from saffron, dried carrot and beetroot.[31][32]
Greece
Halva is a traditional fasting food among Greeks who traditionally have food restrictions due to Greek Orthodox fasting periods, especially from meat, on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, and for all of Great Lent.[33] Halva is also frequently served as a desert, or at "paniyiria" (village festivals).
It is most commonly made of sesame or semolina throughout Greece, however, one regional variation originates from the Thessaly town of Farsala (known as "Halva Farsalon") where it is made of cornflour.[34]
Italy
Halva has become popular in Italy. In 2023, the artisanal confectionery laboratory The Halva Lab was established in Sassuolo, producing halva inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions but made without added sugars.[35][36]
India
India has many types of halva, some unique to particular regions of the country. It is one of the popular sweets of India usually made from semolina.[37]
The town of Bhatkal in Coastal Karnataka is famous for its unique banana halwa which is infused with either whole cashews, pistachio or almonds. This type of authentic halwa is a specialty of the Muslims of this town. The Udupi cuisine has halwa made from banana, wheat, ashgourd, and jackfruit.[38][39]
It is speculated that halva (or halwa) is associated with Indian traditions and culture. Written records of sweets from Mānasollāsa mention a sweet called shali-anna, a type of semolina halwa which is today known as kesari in South India.[40]
Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu is known for its wheat halwa. Its preparation is a laborious process that "is slowly seeing this sweet disappear." Unlike other sweets, the extra ghee is not drained out but forms an outer layer. This increases the shelf life of the halwa. Locals attribute the unique taste of the halwa to the water of the Thamirabarani.[41]
The history of Kozhikode Halwa in Kerala could trace back to Zamorin era. Zamorin invited chefs from Gujarat to prepare halwa for their royal feast.[42] They were also granted places to stay beside royal kitchen. This settlement later evolved as sweet sellers street, nowadays known as SM (Sweet Meat) Street or Mittayitheruvu.[43] Kozhikode halwa is made of pure coconut oil, not from ghee. Kozhikode halwa also builds religious harmony; Ayyappa devotees from neighboring states Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh buy halwa and chips like prasadam (sacred food). They distribute them among their neighbors and friends, who consume them with a religious zeal.[44]
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Sooji halwa made from semolina or sooji -
Black halwa from Kerala
.JPG)
Iran
In Iran, halva (Template:Langx) usually refers to a related confection made from wheat flour and butter and flavored with saffron and rose water.[45][46] The final product has a yellow, brown, or dark brown color. The halva is spread thin on a plate and left until it dries into a paste. Halva usually is served at wedding celebrations, religious ceremonies and funerals.
Halva ardeh is the Iranian term for tahini-based halva, and may or may not include whole pistachios. Ardeh is processed sesame in the form of paste, usually sweetened with syrup.[47][48]
Israel
Tahini halvah (Template:Langx) is very popular in Israel and among Jews in the diaspora.[49][50] Israeli halvah is made from sesame tahini and sugar. It is generally sold in slabs, with or without nuts. Vanilla, or vanilla with chocolate swirls are perhaps the most common, but there are many different varieties. Halvah is parve. It is often served as a breakfast component at Israeli hotels.
It is also used in specialty ice cream, which is made of sesame halva, tahini, eggs, cream, and sugar, and usually topped with pistachios and Silan (date syrup).[51][52]
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Israeli halva displays at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem
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Halva ice cream
.jpg){kind=link}
Myanmar (Burma)
In Myanmar (Burma), halawa (Template:Lang) generally refers to Pathein halawa (Template:Lang), a Burmese confection or mont made with glutinous rice flour, rice flour, milk, and coconut shavings originating in the Irrawaddy delta town of Pathein. Another popular semolina-based confection, which is known as sooji halawa in India, is called sanwin makin in Myanmar.
In the West Bank, qizha (nigella sativa paste) flavored tahini halwa is traditionally made,[53] as well as an "angel-hair" candy-floss-like variety of tahini halwa.[54][55]
Syria
In Aleppo, Syria, Template:Tlit (Template:Lang), named after Caliph Al-Ma'mun, is a variety of halwa made by cooking semolina in butter and then drenching it in syrup, creating something similar to semolina pudding, modern varieties add hard white cheese to the dessert.[2][56] Syrian historian Khayr al-Din al-Asadi described 22 varieties of halwa being made in Aleppo in his 1971 encyclopedia.[57] Halawat smeed (Template:Lang) is sometimes used to refer to varieties of semolina pudding.[58][59][2]
Template:Tlit (Template:Langx) is a semolina and qatir based halwa made during the month of Sha'ban in the city of Hama, Syria.[60][57]
Turkey
In Turkey halva is served for special occasions such as births, circumcisions, weddings and religious gatherings. The tradition is for semolina halva to be served at funerals, when someone leaves or returns from Hajj, and during Ramadan.[61]
For this reason, flour (un) halva is also called in Turkish Template:Lang, meaning "halva of the dead". The expression "roasting halva for someone" suggests that the person referred to has died.
United States
Halva can be found in ethnic Indian, Jewish,[6] Arab, Persian, Greek, Balkan community stores and delicatessens as well as natural food stores. Besides being imported, it is manufactured in the United States, with the largest producer being Brooklyn-originated Joyva.[62][1]
Somalia
In Somalia, halva is known as xalwo (also spelled halwo or xalwa). It is a popular sweet made from sugar, oil, and cornstarch, flavored with spices such as cardamom, nutmeg, or cloves, and sometimes enriched with peanuts. Xalwo is traditionally served at weddings, Eid celebrations, and other festive occasions, and is often offered to guests alongside Somali tea or coffee as a symbol of hospitality.[63]
See also
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 For Halvah, Use 1/2 Cup Nostalgia. The New York Times(March 24, 2004). Retrieved November 15, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 The Oxford Companion to Food{{#if:Davidson|, Davidson}. Oxford University press(1999). ISBN 0-19-211579-0
- ↑ Lucknow: the last phase of an oriental culture{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(1994). ISBN 9780195633757
- ↑ Food and Language: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cooking 2009{{#if:Hosking|, Hosking}. Prospect Books(2010). ISBN 978-1-903018-79-8
- ↑ How to Make Halva at Home, Szokovski, Miriam.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Encyclopedia of Jewish Food{{#if:Marks|, Marks}. HMH(2010). ISBN 9780544186316
- ↑ Halvah Template:Webarchive, Random House Dictionary, 2009
- ↑ Bahraini Halwa: A Sweet Symbol of Heritage, Harmony, and Home, Rebello, Tania. DT News (The Daily Tribune)(December 10, 2025). Retrieved 2026-01-22.
- ↑ American Heritage Dictionary. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica, Foundation, Encyclopaedia Iranica. iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
- ↑ Encyclopedia of Jewish Food{{#if:Marks|, Marks}. HMH(2010-11-17). ISBN 978-0-544-18631-6
- ↑ Βυζαντινών βίος και πολιτισμός{{#if:Koukoules|, Koukoules}. Papazisis Publishers(1952). ISBN 9789600201413
- ↑ A Byzantine Journey{{#if:Ash|, Ash}. Random House(1995). ISBN 978-0-679-40934-2
- ↑ Guide français-arabe vulgaire des voyageurs dt des francs en Syrie et en Égypte: avec carte physique et géographique de la Ssyrie et plan géométrique de Jérusalem ancien et moderne, comme supplément aux voyages en orient{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Leffler et Sebell(1844)
- ↑ الأديب: مجلة تبحث في الآداب والعلوم والسياسة والاجتماع{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}(1959)
- ↑ What's this stuff called halvah?. The Herald News (Passaic, New Jersey)(August 17, 1983). Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ↑ Suji ka Halwa | Sheera Recipe(July 3, 2021).
- ↑ Template:Cite magazine
- ↑ Lateral Cooking{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Bloomsbury(2019). ISBN 9781635574418
- ↑ Seasoning Savvy: How to Cook with Herbs, Spices, and Other Flavorings{{#if:Arndt|, Arndt}. Taylor & Francis(1999). ISBN 978-1-56022-031-2
- ↑ Halva Ethnological Museum of Thrace.
- ↑ "HALWA+WITH+PISTACHIO" Halwa with pistachio. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper({Template:Year).
- ↑ Comparison of three sunflower halva assortments from Romanian market. Analele Universității din Oradea, Fascicula: Ecotoxicologie, Zootehnie și Tehnologii de Industrie Alimentară({Template:Date).
- ↑ Халва. Общие технические условия. Межгосударственный совет по стандартизации, метрологии и сертификации. [[{{{url}}} Halva. General specifications]. Euro-Asian Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification.]
- ↑ Халва. ГОССТАНДАРТ. Halva. GOSSTANDART. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
- ↑ Ukraine 5 years of Independence{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Politische Geschichte(1996). ISBN 9789667127008
- ↑ RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine{{#if:Amsden|, Amsden}. HarperCollins(2006). ISBN 978-0-06-084318-2
- ↑ The Albanian Struggle in the Old World and New{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. AMS Press(1975). ISBN 978-0-404-57925-8
- ↑ Journal of the Society of Arts(1894).
- ↑ Armenian Proverbs: A Paremiological Study with an Anthology of 2,500 Armenian Folk Sayings{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Caravan Books(1994). ISBN 978-0-88206-084-2
- ↑ Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine ::: SHEKI'S MYSTERIES – STAINED GLASS AND THE SWEETEST HALVA. Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine.
- ↑ Mətbəx sirləri: Şəki halvası - VİDEO. Milli.Az(March 20, 2013).
- ↑ Sesame Extends Its Sweet Reach Beyond the Middle East. The New York Times(April 11, 2016).
- ↑ Συνταγή: Χαλβάς Φαρσάλων. Argiro.gr - Argiro Barbarigou. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ↑ Che cos'è l'halva, il dolce antico che in Italia viene prodotto solo da un laboratorio artigianale. Gambero Rosso(5 July 2025). Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ↑ Halva Lab, la dolce impresa di Rossana e Marco. Il Resto del Carlino(16 May 2023). Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ↑ The book of Hindu festivals and ceremonies{{#if:Bahadur|, Bahadur}. UBS Publishers Distributors ltd.(1996). ISBN 81-86112-23-5
- ↑ ash gourd halwa recipe kashi halwa kushmanda halwa dumroot halwa. Hebbar's Kitchen(February 12, 2019). Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ↑ jackfruit halwa recipe seasonal dessert. Udupi recipes(June 3, 2017). Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ↑ Full text of "Indian Food Tradition A Historical Companion Achaya K. T.". archive.org. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
- ↑ Tirunelveli Halwa: Tamil Nadu's Legendary Red Wheat Halwa You Need to Try, Rajagopalan, Ashwin. NDTV Food(May 10, 2018). Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- ↑ kozhikode-calicut-halwa-food-history. www.onmanorama.com.
- ↑ a-sweet-place-in-their-hearts. The Hindu(December 22, 2017).
- ↑ kozhikodan-halwas-religious-flavour. The Hindu(December 13, 2015).
- ↑ Cuisines of the Axis of Evil and Other Irritating States{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Rowman & Littlefield(August 3, 2008). ISBN 978-1-59921-634-8
- ↑ Recipe. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ↑ Traditional Crafts in Qajar Iran (1800-1925){{#if:Floor|, Floor}. Mazda Publishers(2003). ISBN 9781568591476
- ↑ You and I Eat the Same: On the Countless Ways Food and Cooking Connect Us to One Another (MAD Dispatches){{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Artisan Books(2018). ISBN 9781579658564
- ↑ The World of Jewish Cooking{{#if:Marks|, Marks}. Simon & Schuster(1996). ISBN 978-0-684-82491-8
- ↑ Four stops for halvah. Haaretz.
- ↑ The ice man cometh. Haaretz.
- ↑ Halva ice cream, Anders, Anders. Icecreamnation.org(31 October 2016). Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ↑ Is the world ready for this Palestinian dish?. BBC(28 March 2019). Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ↑ A taste of Nablus. Roads & Kingdoms(24 Sep 2014). Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ↑ "الحلاوة الطحينية".. علامة خليلية من زمن الناصر صلاح الدين. Palestine Online(2021). Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ↑ Mamounia (Syrian Semolina Pudding) Recipe - Guy Ben Harosh. Asif Culinary Institute. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 موسوعة حلب المقارنة{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}(1981)
- ↑ Missoula’s Most In-Demand Kitchen Is Run by Refugees. The New York Times(26 May 2022). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ↑ Halawet El Smeed (Semolina Pudding) recipe. Thuraya. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ↑ معركة حلاوة الجبن... قصّة مدينتين. The New Arab(2025). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ↑ Semolina halva unites Turks in times of joy, sorrow. Al Monitor (Turkey)(May 18, 2015). Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- ↑ A Longtime Brooklyn Company That's Known for Its Sesame Sweet. The New York Times(November 8, 2004).
- ↑ Homemade Xalwa: A Traditional Somali Dessert, Xirsi, Geedi. Somalista Newspaper. Somalista(25 March 2023). Retrieved 25 September 2025.