Banana Halwa

Banana halwa is the deep amber sweet of Kerala, made from ripe cooking bananas, sugar, and ghee, stirred slowly until it turns into a glossy fudge. It is a festival favorite sold at every sweetshop in the state and made at home for weddings and Onam. The aroma alone is enough to gather the family in the kitchen, and it is worth the stirring.

Glossy, buttery, and intensely fruity

The halwa is soft and fudgy, almost jammy, with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas deepened by slow caramelization and the richness of ghee. Cardamom and toasted cashews round it out, and it sets into slices that melt on the tongue. A small square goes a long way, and one is never quite enough, so cut it small and hide the tin. Kept in the fridge wrapped in parchment, it lasts for weeks — though in most homes it is gone long before that.

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