Unless your origins are in India or Pakistan you probably know the word halva, if at all, as referring to sesame-based confectionery popular in the Middle East. This is indeed how it is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, as “a Middle Eastern sweet confection made of sesame flour and honey,” and the OED cites the word’s origins as Hebrew, Arabic and Greek. 

However, while I’ve never been to the subcontinent, I have probably been in more Indian and Pakistani restaurants than is reasonable and wasted much of my life reading recipe books from the same region. 

In these, the word tends to be used far more broadly, to mean — as far as I can guess, maybe a reader who speaks of one of the two countries’ languages could help out here — simply a dessert, or, as most of us would put it, a pudding. 

This pud is extremely unusual, as least to western eyes, in its use of beetroot. Despite it being arguably the sweetest of all root vegetables, unlike carrots it is rarely used in desserts. 

Try it. As well as the recipe below, I’d recommend substituting beetroot for half the carrot in a carrot cake recipe. 

Just like this, it tastes and looks great. 

• 450g/1lb beetroot, peeled and grated
• 700ml/1¼ pint full fat milk
• 6 tbsp brown sugar, “jaggery,” available from Indian/Pakistani shops, is best. If using regular sugar adjust as required
• 28g/1oz butter
• ½ tsp cardamom powder 
• about 2oz/55g unsalted whole cashews 
• about 1oz/28g raisins

In a heavy pan, heat milk and beetroot together over a low light. Be patient, or you’ll burn it.

When the mixture begins to bubble, keep a close eye on it, stir constantly, turn down the heat if necessary, but make sure it continues to simmer. 

The milk will evaporate, and when it is reduced by a scant quarter, add the butter and sugar and stir well. 

Continue to simmer and stir. 

When almost all of the milk has evaporated, add the cardamom, the cashew nuts and the raisins. 

Serve hot or cold.