Before these home bound times, we used to go shopping to the huge supermarkets in the city almost every couple of weeks and me being my daddy’s daughter always used to keep an eye for groceries on offer. So when at a particular time I saw that dried apricots were available for cheap rates, I bought plenty of them promising myself to eat atleast two daily for my eye, heart and bone health (when I get the sudden Josh for self care 😂).

All those promises got forgotten as soon as I reached home 😅 and the apricots started waiting in the freezer (peeking at me whenever I opened the door 😃) keenly to be used. Then last month as I needed more space in my freezer, I took one of the packets out and made this halwa as an experiment.

Imagine my happiness when it came out so delicious. Now every couple of weeks, I make this apricot halwa for dessert and we all enjoy it. So this had to be blogged too and I captured some pictures when I made it last day.

It’s a must try dessert if you have those apricots waiting to be used up or even otherwise. Get them when you go shopping next and make this delicious dessert. Dried apricots contain magnesium, pottasium and are rich in antioxidants which are very good for your eyes, bone and heart health. If consumed during pregnancy, it is very beneficial for the baby.

Hope you all try and love it too. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

About 20 to 25 Dried Apricots (Mine had 23 in a packet)

1/4 Cup Jaggery powder (optional, I added for colour and flavour)

2 Tbsp Ghee

Saffron strands, for garnish (don’t skip this. Adds a wonderful flavour)

Chopped Pistachios as garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash the dried apricots well and soak in water for about an hour in enough water. It will absorb the water and swell in size. Also turns very soft.

2. Now add this to a pan and allow it to come to a boil. Add water about 1/2 Cup at a time when you see that water has been absorbed.

Note: It took me 1 Cup of water to cook the apricots fully. It turns very soft when cooked. Takes about 10 mins.

3. Now mash using a potato masher. You can keep little pieces of the apricots too. We love the little bites in it.

Note: If you feel that you can’t mash the apricots well, then it has not cooked fully. Add little water and cook them fully.

4. Now add ghee and jaggery powder. Mix well till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.

5. Remove into bowls and garnish with saffron strands and pistachios. Serve warm.

Notes:

* If you are diabetic, you can definitely skip jaggery too from this halwa. It still tastes very sweet and delicious. I add because of the gorgeous colour that it imparts and also we love jaggery flavour.

* Saffron strands makes this halwa taste heavenly and takes it to another level completely. So do take out those saffron strands from your treasure box 😅 for this halwa.

* We love little bites of the dried apricots in our halwa. So I don’t mash them completely. If you like a smooth kind of halwa, you can mash it completely.