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Makai Halwa, step by step on video
See how the sweet corn is ground, cooked in ghee until it separates, then cooked with milk, sugar and saffron.
6:45 · Recipe video · Cooking with Siddhi
Sweet corn halwa, or makki ka halwa, is a quick, delicious, melt in the mouth dessert made with sweet corn. It is a perfect Indian dessert to enjoy during the monsoon.
Sweet corn kernels are ground to a paste and cooked in ghee until the moisture disappears and the ghee separates, then cooked with milk, sugar, saffron and cardamom and finished with roasted dry fruits.
Every recipe on Cooking with Siddhi is cooked in my own kitchen before it goes live.
Why you will love this makai halwa
- Melt in mouth: soft and delicious.
- Monsoon dessert: made with sweet corn.
- Quick: ground corn cooked in ghee and milk.
- Roasted dry fruits: almonds, cashews and pistachios.
Ingredient notes
- Sweet corn: 3 cups of kernels, ground to a fine paste.
- Ghee: 1/2 cup, for roasting the dry fruits and cooking the corn.
- Milk: 1½ cups, plus 1 tbsp to soak the saffron.
- Almonds: 8 to 10, soaked, peeled and sliced.
Makai Halwa Recipe
Makai halwa, or sweet corn halwa: ground sweet corn cooked in ghee until it separates, then in milk with sugar, saffron and cardamom, finished with roasted dry fruits.
Ingredients
- 3 cups sweet corn kernels
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup clarified butter (ghee)
- 1½ cups milk
- 8–10 pistachios, sliced
- 10–12 raisins (kishmish)
- 8–10 cashews, roughly chopped
- 8–10 almonds, soaked, peeled and sliced
- Saffron strands, soaked in 1 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Instructions
- Grind the corn. Put the corn kernels in a mixer jar, close the lid and grind them into a paste. Keep it aside.
- Heat the ghee. Heat a pan and add the ghee.
- Roast the dry fruits. Once the ghee melts, add the almonds, cashews and pistachios. On a low to medium flame, stirring continuously, roast until light golden. Take them out onto a plate.
- Cook the corn. Add the corn paste to the pan with the ghee. Mix swiftly and continuously so it does not stick to the base. Cook until the moisture disappears and the ghee starts to separate, about 10 minutes in total.
- Add the milk. On a full flame, pour in the milk and mix well.
- Flavour. Add the sugar, saffron soaked in milk and cardamom powder, and mix everything well.
- Thicken. Stirring continuously, cook until the mixture thickens.
- Finish. Once it thickens to the consistency you want, add the roasted dry fruits. Serve in a bowl.
Recipe by Siddhi Panchal.
Tips for makai halwa
- Grind the sweet corn into a fine paste.
- Roast the dry fruits on a low to medium flame only until light golden.
- Keep stirring the corn paste so it does not stick to the base.
- Cook the corn until the moisture disappears and the ghee starts to separate.
What to serve with Makai Halwa
Serve the makai halwa in a bowl. For more halwa and sweets, try my Gajar Halwa, Gujarati Magas and Seviyan Kheer.
Makai Halwa FAQs
What else is makai halwa called?
Sweet corn halwa or makki ka halwa.
How do I know the corn is cooked?
Cook it until the moisture disappears and the ghee starts to separate, about 10 minutes in total.
When does the milk go in?
After the corn paste has cooked in the ghee. Pour it in on a full flame and mix well.
When is makai halwa made?
It is a perfect Indian dessert to enjoy during the monsoon.
Which dry fruits go in?
Almonds, cashews and pistachios roasted in ghee, along with raisins.
More recipes
Find more desserts in our Sweets and Desserts collection, or browse every recipe.