What is chik-cha halwa?
Chik-cha halwa is a creamy sweet treat made by simmering coconut milk with cornstarch and sugar. It is flavored with cardamom and, sometimes, nutmeg and saffron. The thickened coconut milk is poured into a simple mold, like a baking dish, to set, then cut into squares for serving. This unique sweet comes from the Bene Israel community, one of three distinct Jewish communities in India. Judaism is believed to be one of the earliest foreign religions to have arrived in the Indian subcontinent - more than 2,000 years ago, by some accounts. Those early migrants were merchants. In the centuries since more Jews arrived, including some who were fleeing Portugal and Baghdad fearing religious persecution, and yet more during the Holocaust. The migrants assimilated effortlessly into the country’s secular fabric, while preserving their unique identity. The number of Jews in India is believed to have peaked mid-20th century at nearly 50,000. But that number has dropped steadily over the decades since following the formation of Israel and subsequent immigration. Today, India’s Jews number under 5,000 - a tiny drop in a nation of a billion-plus people. But this community has never been invisible; over the centuries its members have made significant contributions to the arts, Bollywood and to business. The Bene Israel are the largest group of Jews in India with an estimated 3,000 members, and they reside largely in Bombay. You won’t find Jewish restaurants in the city, but if you’re lucky enough to have a Jewish friend in Bombay, as I was, you might get a chance to sample some of their unique cuisine that draws upon local ingredients like fish, rice and coconut. Like chik-cha halwa. This halwa reminds me a lot of a coconut-based sweet that my Goan stepmom made, but it stands apart for the use of cornstarch: an ingredient not often used in traditional Indian cuisine. I read somewhere that in the past wheat - soaked for days - was used to thicken the halwa, and it’s likely the cornstarch is a more recent modification. This is a simple recipe. If you try it, and I hope you do, make sure you take your time stirring and allowing the coconut milk to thicken for a firm, easily sliceable halwa. You may need to make it a couple of times before you get the perfect texture, but even your misses will be delicious.
How to make chik-cha halwa
More Indian vegan sweets
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