Halva

The word halva (alternatively halwa, halvah, halava, helva, halawa etc.), originally derived from the Arabic root حلوى ḥalwā (sweet), is used to describe many distinct types of sweet confection, across the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Halva based on semolina is popular in Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran. Another common type, based on tahini (sesame paste), is more popular in the eastern Mediterranean and Balkan regions, in countries such as Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and Turkey as well as the Palestinian territories. Halva may also be made from a variety of other ingredients, including sunflower seeds, various nuts, beans, lentils, and vegetables—such as carrots, pumpkins, yams, and squashes.

Types
Most types of halva are relatively dense confections that are sweetened with sugar or honey. However, their textures are quite different. For example, semolina halva is gelatinous and translucent, while sesame halva is drier and more crumbly.

Semolina
This halva, produced and served in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and surrounding countries (different versions of it are also found in Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey), is usually made with semolina wheat, sugar or honey, and butter or vegetable oil. Raisins, dates, or other dried fruits are often included. Nuts such as almonds are also commonly added to semolina halva. The halva is very sweet with a gelatinous texture similar to polenta; the added butter gives it a rich mouthfeel.

Though semolina halva is considered to be essentially a "Northern" confection in India, it is also quite popular in South India. A prominent South Indian version of halva (or "alvaa", as it is called in Tamil) is from Tirunelveli (pronounced Thiru-nel-vaeli), a city in the state of Tamil Nadu. A closely related semolina preparation widely enjoyed throughout South India is called Kesari or Kesari-bath.

In India, carrots (for gajar halwa) or mung beans (for moong dal halwa), for example, may be used instead of semolina. Prepared with condensed milk and ghee, without semolina to bind it together, the end result has a moist yet flaky texture when freshly prepared and bears some resemblance to a British pudding.

Sesame
Sesame halva is popular in the Balkans, Middle East, and other areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The primary ingredients in this confection are sesame seeds or paste (tahini), and sugar, glucose or honey. Soap root (called ‘erq al halaweh in Arabic; çöven kökü in Turkish ), egg white, or marshmallow root are added in some recipes, to create a distinctive texture. Other ingredients and flavourings such as pistachio nuts, cocoa powder, orange juice, vanilla, or chocolate are normally added to the basic tahini and sugar base.

Floss halva
Pişmaniye (Turkish) or floss halva is a traditional sweetmeat, prepared in Kocaeli, Turkey, made by flossing thin strands of halva into a light confection. Made primarily of wheat flour and sugar, the strands are continuously wrapped into a ball shape and then compressed. The result is a halva with a light consistency, similar to cotton candy. Floss halva can be found in regular and pistachio flavors, and there are brands with halal or kosher certifications.

A similar pistachio-based version of Floss halva is popular in North India. It tends to be slightly denser and is often referred to as "Patisa".

Sunflower
Sunflower halva, popular in countries that were part of the former Soviet Union, such as Belarus, Romania, Republic of Moldova, Russia and Ukraine, is made of sunflower seeds instead of sesame. It has a rich, unmistakable flavor and "addictive" taste.

Etymology and cultural use
Halva is the most common modern English spelling and the transliteration from most Balkan languages. Other transliterations include: halava (Sanskrit), halvah (Hebrew), halwa or halwi (Arabic), helva (Turkish).

The Hebrew spelling, halvah, may at times be used to refer specifically to the Kosher variety.

The word 'halawa' (حلاوة) in Arabic means 'sweetness' while the word halwa (حلوي) means sweets or candy. The word halva comes from the Arabic word halwa; the root word is hilwa meaning sweet. The root word is also the basis for the Arabic word for "good" (helwa').

🇧🇦
Halva is widely used in Bosnia, and is available in different forms and flavours.

🇧🇬
In Bulgaria the term halva (халва) is used for several varieties of the dessert. Tahini halva (тахан халва) is most popular and can be found in all food stores. Two different types of tahini halva are made - one using sunflower seed tahini and another using sesame seed tahini. Traditionally, the regions of Yablanitsa and Haskovo are famous for their halva. Semolina halva (грис халва) is made at home and can be found only in some pastry stores. A third type is white halva (бяла халва), which is made of sugar. White halva is popular on the last Sunday before Lent (Sirni Zagovezni; Сирни заговезни), when a piece of white halva is tied on a string. All the children at the party stand in a circle and must catch the turning piece of halva with their mouths.

🇪🇬
In Egypt, the name is halawa tahiniya (حلاوة طحينية). The word 'halawa' in Arabic means 'sweetness' while the word halwa (حلوى) means sweets. It has many varieties such as plain blocks, and fine fibrous halawa called halawa hair. Other varieties with pine nuts, pistachios, and almonds exist in big blocks or pre-packed consumer portions, or more recently energy bars (chocolate bar size). Halawa is a very popular sweet enjoyed by a lot of Egyptians. It is eaten for breakfast and dinner, and enjoyed with hot bread, sandwiches, and sometimes with the Arabic equivalent of clotted cream (قشطة, pronounced ishta in Egyptian Arabic). It is a staple food that is enjoyed all over the country as it does not need special storage conditions, and can be kept in ambient temperature with no risk of spoilage.

🇬🇷 & 🇨🇾
In Greece and most of Cyprus the term halva (Χαλβά) is used for both varieties of the dessert. Sesame halva was produced in classical times. The dish was popular in the Byzantine Empire, and it is very popular throughout the country especially during Great Lent and other fasts. Halva is considered one of the most delicious Greek desserts which is appropriate under Orthodox Christian fasting guidelines.

=
Halwa had become one of the sweet dishes in India. Mostly made of wheat flour, ghee and sugar. There are various types of halva in India, distinguished by the region and the content in which it is prepared. One of the famous halwa is Tirunelveli halwa. Carrot halwa (called gaajar halwa, pronounced GAA-JAR halwa in Hindi) is a popular sweet throughout India.

🇮🇱
Heavily sesame-flavoured tahini halvah (חלבה) is very popular with Jews in Israel and among Jews all over the world. Spelled "halvah" in English, it usually comes in slabs or small packages and is available in a wide variety of flavours, chocolate and vanilla being very common. The halvah is almost always pareve, meaning it does not contain any meat or dairy ingredients, ensuring that it can be eaten with/after either milk or meat dishes according to the laws of Kashrut. Israeli and Jewish halvah will usually not contain wheat flour or semolina but will contain sesame tahini, glucose, sugar, vanilla and saponaria root extracts (Soapwort) which are not always found in other recipes.

🇱🇧
In Lebanon, halva is typically the sesame or tahini-based form, which can be flavored in various ways and may include pistachios or almonds. A large quantity of halva is exported from Lebanon throughout the world.

🇱🇾
In Libya, it is called حلوى شامية halwa shamiya or simply shamiya which means Levantine sweet, whereas the word halawa is never used.

🇲🇹
In Malta, the term ħelwa tat-Tork is used to refer to a tahini-based block confection sometimes containing pistachios or almonds.

🇹🇯
Soft sesame halva is made from sugar syrup, egg whites, and sesame seeds. Solid sesame Halva is made from pulled sugar, repeatedly stretched to give a white colour; prepared sesame is added to the warm sugar and formed on big trays.

🇹🇷
The term helva is used by Turkish people, to describe tahin (crushed sesame seeds), flour, or semolina halva, called "tahin helvası", "un helvası", and "irmik helvası", respectively. Yaz helvası is the one made of almond or walnut. Semolina halva (garnished with pine nuts) has a cultural significance in Turkish folk religion and is the most common type. Traditionally, halva prepared with flour un helvası is cooked and served upon the death of a person. In addition, some sweets and desserts are also called helva such as pamuk helva or Kos helva, a sweet like dessert which is widespread in Turkey. In Safranbolu kos helva is also called "leaf-halva".

Cultural references
In Turkey, after the burial ceremony, on the seventh and fortieth day following the death of a muslim, and also on the first anniversary, flour helva is cooked and offered to visitors and neighbours by relatives of the deceased. For this reason, flour (un) helva is also called "ölü helvası" meaning "helva of the dead". The expression "roasting the helva of someone" suggests that the person referred to died some time ago.

There is a Greek saying Ante re halva! ("Άντε ρε χαλβά!" - could be translated as "get lost halva"), which is used when the speaker wants to offend someone, usually a man by calling him coward and/or chubby.