Recipe · 30 September 2026 · 4 min read
Atta halwa, the way it's made at the gurudwara
Equal parts atta, ghee and sugar. The simplest Punjabi sweet, and the one where good ghee matters most.
Kada prasad has only four ingredients, so there is nothing to hide behind. Made with good bilona ghee, it is glossy, nutty and smells like a festival.
You need (serves 4)
- 1 cup whole wheat atta
- 1 cup desi ghee
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups water
Method
- Heat the water and sugar in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Keep it hot.
- In a heavy kadhai, melt the ghee on a low flame and add the atta.
- Stir continuously for 12 to 15 minutes until the atta turns deep golden brown and smells roasted. Don't rush this step.
- Stand back and pour in the hot syrup. It will splutter.
- Keep stirring until the halwa thickens and leaves the sides of the kadhai, about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve warm.
The colour of the atta decides the flavour. Light golden gives a mild halwa; deep brown gives the rich gurudwara taste.
Made from curd, not cream.
Our family's hand-churned desi cow bilona ghee, from Barnala.
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