Fasting Favourites: Simple And Easy Recipe To Prepare The Delicious Singhara Atta Halwa

Festive season is here, and it of course brings with it mouthwatering recipes. Whether it is a festival special treat or fast favourites, food is often what makes the season special. One of these treats happens to be quite nutritious, and as tasty, which is singhara atta halwa.

What is singhara atta halwa?

singhara atta halwa is a dessert made from singhara i.e. water chestnut which is very popular in India. It is usually prepared during fasting days as singhara is one of the few things which are allowed to be eaten during a fast among Hindus. Apart from its cultural significance, singhara atta halwa offers you an array of health benefits making it a good choice for a health-conscious person too.

What is singhara?

Before moving to the singhara atta halwa recipe, let's know more about the key ingredient i.e singhara. Singhara, also known as water chestnut in English, is a fruit of a free-floating plant. Singhara are scientifically known as Trapa natans and belong to the Lythraceae family. They are usually grown in shallow water bodies, ponds and marshes. Singhara can be plentifully found in the warm temperate areas of Africa and Eurasia. Talking about India, these can be easily found in eastern Indian states like Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

What are the health benefits of including singhara in your diet?

This small fruit is power-packed with a plethora of nutrients. Let's have a look at some of the surprising health benefits of adding singhara to your diet.

1. Boosts immunity 

Adding singhara into your diet may boost your immunity and hence help your body fight against various diseases. It is also rich in Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant and helps in protecting our body by neutralizing harmful free radicals. Thus periodical intake of singhara can improve your overall health.

2. Promotes weight loss

If you are looking to add something to your diet that not only supports weight loss but also makes you feel fuller, then singhara can be a great option for you. Being low in calories, in fats, and high in fibre, it prevents overeating and regulates hunger too.

3. Eases jaundice symptoms 

Taking singhara directly or as singhara atta halwa may soothe jaundice symptoms. Being rich in antioxidants and processing detoxifying properties, singhara aids liver function. Thus help in easing the jaundice symptoms.

4. Promotes a healthy heart 

singhara offers many benefits to your health owing to its nutritional content. It is low in fats and cholesterol, making it a good choice for anyone seeking to boost heart health. Besides this, the potassium found in singhara plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure. What's more? Being rich in antioxidants, it also helps in dealing with stress and inflammation, hence promoting a healthier heart.

5. Boost skin health

Apart from being rich in antioxidants, singhara also offers protection against free radicals and thus prevents premature ageing and maintains skin elasticity too. Water chestnut also gives hydration to your skin improving overall skin appearance. Hence, adding singhara into your diet via singhara atta chapati or singhara atta halwa can complement your skincare routine.

You can add singhara into your diet via singhara atta, whether you can prepare singhara atta puris, chapatis or chillas. But if you are the one with a sweet tooth, singhara atta halwa would be best for you.

Singhara atta halwa ingredients

Before jumping to the best singhara atta halwa recipe, let's have a look at the ingredients required to prepare this yummy dessert.

1. 1 cup of singhara atta (water chestnut flour)
2. 5 tbsp of ghee
3. ¾ cup of sugar 
4. ½ tbsp of cardamom powder 
5. 1 tbsp of almond slivers
6. 1 tbsp of pistachios slivers

Singhara atta ka halwa recipe

Whether you are seeking a satisfying dish during your fast or you are just craving something sweet, try this singhara atta ka halwa recipe, sure to please you with its authentic aroma.

1. Take a skillet and heat the ghee ( you can take 5 tablespoons of ghee here). Add 1 cup of singhara atta ( water chestnut flour).
2. Roast the atta by stirring continuously on a low flame for 6 to 7 minutes or until you get the light brown colour of singhara atta halwa with a mesmerizing aroma of roasted atta. Remember, while you are roasting the atta, put 1 cup of water to heat up into another pan as we will require this in our next step.
3. Now, add 1 cup of hot water to the roasted atta. Stir continuously to avoid any lumps for the next 2 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.
4. Once the water is absorbed, add ¾ cup of sugar and mix thoroughly. Not to forget to stir constantly.
5. Let it cook until the atta ka halwa stops sticking to the surface of the pan.\
6. As soon as you find that the mixture has stopped sticking to the pan, off the flame and add ½ tablespoon of cardamom powder, mix well.
7. Transfer the atta halwa into a bowl and garnish with almond and pistachio slivers to get a more appealing appearance.

Note: You must add only hot water to the singhara atta while cooking as if you use normal or cold water, this can lead to the formation of more lumps in the mixture.