{{Short description|Confections often made from nut butters or flours}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}} <!--- non-MDY dates were YMD/IOS --> {{Infobox food | name = Halva | image = File:Orient sweets (special halva) Samarkand, Siyab.jpg | caption = | place_of_origin = Iran (Persia)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Foundation|first=Encyclopaedia Iranica|title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=https://iranicaonline.org/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=iranicaonline.org|language=en-US|quote=The origin of ḥalwā in Persia dates from the pre-Islamic period. References are found in the Middle Persian text of Xōsrōv ud rēdak (ed. Monchi-zadeh, secs. 38-40) to two kinds of sweetmeats (rōγn xwardīg): (1) summer sweetmeats, such as lōzēnag (made with almond), gōzēnag (made with walnut), and čarb-angušt (made from the fat of bustard or gazelle and fried in walnut oil); and (2) winter sweetmeats, such as wafrēnagītabarzad flavored with coriander (gišnīz ačārag). Many references are found to ḥalwā in classical Persian texts, but rarely do they provide details concerning ingredients.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Marks|first=Gil|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gFK_yx7Ps7cC&pg=PT1|title=Encyclopedia of Jewish Food|date=2010-11-17|publisher=HMH|isbn=978-0-544-18631-6|language=en|quote=Halva is a dense confection. The original type is grain based, typically made from semolina, and another kind is seed based, notably made from sesame seeds. Origin: Persia}}</ref> | region = Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Balkans, South Caucasus, North Africa, Horn of Africa | type = Confectionery, dessert | served = Cold | main_ingredient = | variations = | calories = | other = }} '''Halva''' (also '''halvah''', '''halwa''', '''halua'''<ref name="NYT.Nos">{{cite news |last=Clark |first=Melissa |date=March 24, 2004 |title=For Halvah, Use 1/2 Cup Nostalgia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/24/dining/for-halvah-use-1-2-cup-nostalgia.html |access-date=November 15, 2020 |work=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207173954/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/24/dining/for-halvah-use-1-2-cup-nostalgia.html|archive-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref>) is a type of confectionery that is spread throughout North Africa, East Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, West Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia. The name refers to a broad variety of recipes, generally a thick paste made from flour, butter, oil, saffron, rosewater, milk, turmeric powder, and sugar.<ref name="Davidson">{{cite book |first=Alan |last=Davidson |author-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) |title=The Oxford Companion to Food |publisher=Oxford University press |year=1999 |location=Oxford |pages=378 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bIIeBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA378 |isbn=0-19-211579-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Sharar |first1=Abdul Halim |title=Lucknow: the last phase of an oriental culture |date=1994 |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=165 |isbn=9780195633757 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NgcWAQAAMAAJ&q=origin+of+Halva}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Hosking | first=R. | title=Food and Language: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cooking 2009 | publisher=Prospect Books | series=Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery Series | year=2010 | isbn=978-1-903018-79-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ilvBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT202 | access-date=2022-04-11 | page=202}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chabad.org/recipes/recipe_cdo/aid/4451547/jewish/How-to-Make-Halva-at-Home.htm |title=How to Make Halva at Home |first=Miriam|last=Szokovski|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240812163248/https://www.chabad.org/recipes/recipe_cdo/aid/4451547/jewish/How-to-Make-Halva-at-Home.htm|archive-date=August 12, 2024}}</ref>
==Etymology== {{Wiktionary}} The word ''halva'' entered the English language between 1840 and 1850 from Romanian, which came from {{langx|ota|حلوى|helva}}, itself ultimately derived from {{langx|ar|حلاوة|ḥalwā}}, a sweet confection.<ref name="Marks_Encyclopedia">{{cite book |first=Gil |last=Marks |author-link=Gil Marks |year=2010 |title=Encyclopedia of Jewish Food |publisher=HMH |chapter=Halva |isbn=9780544186316 | chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gFK_yx7Ps7cC&pg=PT772}}</ref><ref name="D">[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/halvah Halvah] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306131022/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/halvah |date=March 6, 2016 }}, Random House Dictionary, 2009</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Rebello |first=Tania |date=December 10, 2025 |title=Bahraini Halwa: A Sweet Symbol of Heritage, Harmony, and Home |url=https://www.newsofbahrain.com/trends/123186.html |access-date=2026-01-22 |website=DT News (The Daily Tribune) |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251210083645/https://www.newsofbahrain.com/trends/123186.html|archive-date=December 10, 2025}}</ref> The root in {{langx|ar|ح ل و|''ḥ-l-w''|links=no}}, means "sweet".<ref>{{cite web |title=American Heritage Dictionary |url=https://ahdictionary.com/word/semitic.html |access-date=February 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250405051159/https://ahdictionary.com/word/semitic.html|archive-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref> In the pre-Islamic period, the name for the category of confections that would develop into ''halva'' were called روغن خورديگ (''rōɣæn xordīg'') in Middle Persian, meaning "oil food".<ref name=":0" />
==History== Halva originated in Persia (modern day Iran).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Foundation|first=Encyclopaedia Iranica|title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=https://iranicaonline.org/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=iranicaonline.org|language=en-US|quote=The origin of ḥalwā in Persia dates from the pre-Islamic period. References are found in the Middle Persian text of Xōsrōv ud rēdak (ed. Monchi-zadeh, secs. 38-40) to two kinds of sweetmeats (rōγn xwardīg): (1) summer sweetmeats, such as lōzēnag (made with almond), gōzēnag (made with walnut), and čarb-angušt (made from the fat of bustard or gazelle and fried in walnut oil); and (2) winter sweetmeats, such as wafrēnagītabarzad flavored with coriander (gišnīz ačārag). Many references are found to ḥalwā in classical Persian texts, but rarely do they provide details concerning ingredients.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Marks|first=Gil|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gFK_yx7Ps7cC&pg=PT1|title=Encyclopedia of Jewish Food|date=2010-11-17|publisher=HMH|isbn=978-0-544-18631-6|language=en|quote=Halva is a dense confection. The original type is grain based, typically made from semolina, and another kind is seed based, notably made from sesame seeds. Origin: Persia}}</ref> By the 9th century, the term was applied to numerous kinds of sweets, including the now-familiar sweetened cooked semolina or flour paste.<ref name="Davidson" /><ref name="Marks_Encyclopedia" /> The first proper recipes of halva were documented in the 13th century Arabic cookbook ''Kitab al-Tabikh'' (''The Book of Dishes''), as well as an anonymous cookbook from 13th-century Al-Andalus.
Athenaeus mentions an ancient Greek dish called "''sesamidios''" (Ancient Greek: σησαμίδιός), which is described as a spherical cake made of honey, roasted sesame seeds, and oil; this dish is considered to have been the same as the sesame seed-based version of halva.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=Koukoules|first=Phaidon I.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0VhoAAAAMAAJ|title=Βυζαντινών βίος και πολιτισμός|date=1952|publisher=Papazisis Publishers|isbn=9789600201413|volume=5|pages=114-115|language=el}}</ref> Halva was also eaten in the Byzantine Empire, where it was well-attested.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ash |first=John |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Byzantine_Journey/1dVtAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=halva+%22byzantine%22&dq=halva+%22byzantine%22&printsec=frontcover |title=A Byzantine Journey |date=1995 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-0-679-40934-2 |pages=223 |language=en}}</ref> Later, it was adopted by the Ottoman Turks, including the sesame-based version, and spread throughout their empire.<ref name="Marks_Encyclopedia" /> A description of sesame-based halwa (called {{langx|ar|حلاوة طحينية}}) can be found in an 1844 dictionary by Swedish Orientalist {{ill|Jacob Berggren|sv|Jacob Berggren}},<ref name="berggren"> {{cite book |last1=Berggren |first1=Jakob |title=Guide français-arabe vulgaire des voyageurs dt des francs en Syrie et en Égypte: avec carte physique et géographique de la Ssyrie et plan géométrique de Jérusalem ancien et moderne, comme supplément aux voyages en orient |date=1844 |publisher=Leffler et Sebell |pages=267-268 |trans-title=A French-Arabic guide for travelers and Franks in Syria and Egypt: with a physical and geographical map of Syria and a geometric plan of ancient and modern Jerusalem, as a supplement to travels in the Orient |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Guide_fran%C3%A7ais_arabe_vulgaire_des_voyag/9AdHAAAAcAAJ?gbpv=1&pg=PA269 |access-date=24 Jan 2026 |language=ar,fr}} </ref> according to Al Adib magazine, a factory for tahini halwa was established as early as 1874 in Beirut.<ref>{{cite book |title=الأديب: مجلة تبحث في الآداب والعلوم والسياسة والاجتماع |date=1959 |page=14 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A8/mXnPQCtiKmAC?gbpv=1&bsq=%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%B9%20%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AA |access-date=12 February 2026 |language=ar |trans-title=Al-Adib: A magazine that explores literature, science, politics, and society.}}</ref>
==Types== Most types of halva are relatively dense confections sweetened with sugar or honey.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107810326/gerri-kobren-whats-this-stuff-called/|title=What's this stuff called halvah?|date=August 17, 1983|agency=Independent Press Service|first=Gerri|last=Kobren|work=The Herald News (Passaic, New Jersey)|access-date=August 17, 2022|page=C-4|via=Newspapers.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130205331/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107810326/gerri-kobren-whats-this-stuff-called/|archive-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> Their textures, however, vary. For example, semolina-based halva's texture can range from a buttery, moist, clumpy couscous<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/sooji-halwa-recipe-rava-sheera/|title = Suji ka Halwa | Sheera Recipe|date = July 3, 2021}}</ref> to something gelatinous and translucent, while sesame-based halva is drier and more crumbly.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Shah|first=Khushbu|date=June 8, 2017|title=Halwa vs. Halvah: An Investigation|url=https://www.tastecooking.com/halvah-vs-halwa/|magazine=Taste|access-date=March 8, 2019}}</ref>
=== Grain-based halva === thumb|Turkish ''un helvası'', a flour-based halva Grain-based halva is made by toasting flour or cornstarch in oil, mixing it into a roux, and then cooking it with a sugary syrup. Corn is rarely used.
Dishes made from wheat semolina include suji ka halwa in India, Pakistan, Shujir Halua in Bangladesh and ''{{lang|tr|irmik helvası}}'' in Turkey. In both dishes, semolina is toasted in fat, either oil or butter, and then mixed with water or milk and sugar to achieve the desired flavor and consistency.<ref name="segnit">{{cite book |last1=Segnit |first1=Niki |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_I2SDwAAQBAJ&q=semolina+most+common+halva+corn+starch&pg=PT83 |title=Lateral Cooking |date=2019 |publisher=Bloomsbury |isbn=9781635574418 |page=83}}</ref> Wheat-based sohan halwa in northern India and Pakistan is a renowned delicacy made by combining wheat flour with milk, sugar, clarified butter, cardamom, saffron, and nuts such as almonds and pistachios. The mixture is slow-cooked, allowing the sugar to caramelize, which gives ''Sōhan'' ''halvā'' its unique firm and brittle texture. alt=Multani sohan halva|thumb|Multani Sōhan halvā in Pakistan. Dairy-based rice flour halva, known as Pathein halawa, is considered a Burmese delicacy native to the city of Pathein.
===Sesame=== Sesame halva is popular in the Balkans, Poland, the Middle East, and other areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
The primary ingredients in this confection are sesame butter or paste (tahini), and sugar, glucose or honey.<ref name="Davidson" /> Soapwort<ref>{{cite book |first=Alice |last=Arndt |year=1999 |title=Seasoning Savvy: How to Cook with Herbs, Spices, and Other Flavorings |publisher=Taylor & Francis |page=215 |isbn=978-1-56022-031-2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.emthrace.org/exhibits/sweetmeats/halva/en/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703164849/http://www.emthrace.org/exhibits/sweetmeats/halva/en/|url-status=dead|title=''Halva'' Ethnological Museum of Thrace|archivedate=July 3, 2007}}</ref> (called ''‘erq al halaweh'' in Arabic; ''{{lang|tr|çöven}}'' in Turkish), or egg white are added in some recipes to stabilize the oils in the mixture or create a distinctive texture for the resulting confection. Other ingredients and flavorings, such as pistachio nuts, cocoa powder, orange juice, vanilla, or chocolate are often added to the basic tahini and sugar base.<ref name="Davidson" /><ref>{{cite journal |title=Halwa with pistachio |journal=FAO Food and Nutrition Paper |volume= 25-28 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=1982 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K-hZFHUWZicC&q="HALWA+WITH+PISTACHIO" }}</ref>
===Sunflower=== [[File:Sonnenblumenhalva 20091117 005.JPG|thumb|Sunflower halva]] Sunflower halva is popular in the countries of the former Soviet Union as well as in Bulgaria and Romania.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://protmed.uoradea.ro/facultate/publicatii/ecotox_zooteh_ind_alim/2014B/zoot/9.Nistor%20Catalin.pdf|title=Comparison of three sunflower halva assortments from Romanian market|first1=E.|last1=Nistor|first2=G.|last2=Hoha|first3=M.|last3=Usturoi|first4=M. S.|last4=Alley|date=2014|journal=Analele Universității din Oradea, Fascicula: Ecotoxicologie, Zootehnie și Tehnologii de Industrie Alimentară|volume=14|issue=B|pages=329–336|s2cid=54789320}}</ref> It is made of roasted ground sunflower seeds instead of sesame. It may include other ingredients, such as nuts, cocoa powder, or vanilla.<ref>{{citation |title=Халва. Общие технические условия |journal=Гост 6502-2014 |publisher=Межгосударственный совет по стандартизации, метрологии и сертификации |year=2014 |url=http://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200114734 }} [{{ citation | title=Halva. General specifications |journal=Interstate Standard GOST 6502-2014 |publisher=Euro-Asian Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification |year=2014 |language=ru }}]</ref><ref name="gosstandart">{{cite web | title = Халва | publisher = ГОССТАНДАРТ | url = http://gosstandart.info/produkty-pitaniya/konditerskie-izdeliya/halva/ }} {{cite web |title=Halva |publisher=GOSSTANDART |url=http://gosstandart.info/produkty-pitaniya/konditerskie-izdeliya/halva/ |language=ru |access-date=May 1, 2019 |archive-date=January 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113041957/http://gosstandart.info/produkty-pitaniya/konditerskie-izdeliya/halva/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1996 around 4–5 thousand tonnes of sunflower halva were being produced by Ukraine annually.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Volodymyrovych |first1=Dmytro |title=Ukraine 5 years of Independence |date=1996 |publisher=Politische Geschichte |isbn=9789667127008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b6ArAQAAIAAJ&q=halva}}</ref>{{Update|date=January 2025}}
===Peanuts=== In Argentina, Greek immigrants at the beginning of the 20th century created a kind of halva called ''mantecol'' from peanut butter, currently marketed under the name of Mantecol and also Nucrem. Such a product is widely consumed in the country.
=== Carrots === Gajar ka halwa, or gajorer halua, is a popular halva in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is made by slow-cooking grated carrots with milk, sugar, and ghee (clarified butter), often flavored with cardamom and garnished with nuts such as almonds, pistachios, or cashews. Sometimes, khoya (reduced milk solids) or condensed milk is added to enhance its richness and flavor.
===Other===
====Floss halva==== {{See also|Pashmak|Pişmaniye|Dragon's beard candy}} ''Pişmaniye'' (Turkish) or ''floss halva'' is a traditional sweet, 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.
In Chinese cuisine, a floss-like candy similar to ''pişmaniye'' or ''pashmak halva'', known as ''dragon beard candy'', is eaten as a snack or dessert.
A raw version of halva also has become popular among proponents of raw food diets. In this version, a mixture of raw sesame tahini, raw almonds, raw agave nectar and salt are blended together and frozen to firm.<ref>{{cite book |last=Amsden |first=Matt |date=2006 |title=RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ialwGIyz0xQC |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-084318-2}}</ref>
== Cultural and national variations== ===Albania=== Albanian halva ({{langx|sq|hallvë}}) tends to have flour, sugar and olive oil and is similar to nougat. It is often topped with nuts.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Project | first1=Federal Writers' | title=The Albanian Struggle in the Old World and New | date=1975 | publisher=AMS Press | isbn=978-0-404-57925-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4xaI4JxKORIC&q=albanian+halva }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Journal of the Society of Arts | date=1894 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C1cmAQAAIAAJ&dq=journal+of+the+society+of+arts+1894+halva&pg=PA756 }}</ref>
===Armenia=== Armenian halva tends to have semolina flour, sesame, honey, butter and sugar.<ref>{{cite book | title=Armenian Proverbs: A Paremiological Study with an Anthology of 2,500 Armenian Folk Sayings | date=1994 | publisher=Caravan Books | isbn=978-0-88206-084-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V0DXAAAAMAAJ&q=armenian+halva+flour }}</ref> ===Azerbaijan=== thumb|Şəki halvası One regional variant is from Sheki where ''Şəki halvası'' halva refers to a layered bakhlava style pastry filled with spiced-nut mix and topped by crisscrossed patterns of a red syrup made from saffron, dried carrot and beetroot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://visions.az/en/news/534/b06ba3ac/|title=Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine ::: SHEKI'S MYSTERIES – STAINED GLASS AND THE SWEETEST HALVA|website=Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.milli.az/kilinariya/175430.html|title=Mətbəx sirləri: Şəki halvası - VİDEO|date=March 20, 2013|website=Milli.Az}}</ref> ===Greece=== Halva is a traditional fasting food among Greeks who traditionally have food restrictions due to Greek Orthodox fasting periods, especially from meat, on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, and for all of Great Lent.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/dining/tahini-halvah-sesame-dessert.html|title=Sesame Extends Its Sweet Reach Beyond the Middle East|first=Julia|last=Moskin|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> Halva is also frequently served as a desert, or at "paniyiria" (village festivals).
It is most commonly made of sesame or semolina throughout Greece, however, one regional variation originates from the Thessaly town of Farsala (known as "Halva Farsalon") where it is made of cornflour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Συνταγή: Χαλβάς Φαρσάλων |url=https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/chalvas-farsalon/ |access-date=2026-04-07 |website=Argiro.gr - Argiro Barbarigou |language=el}}</ref>
=== Italy === Halva has become popular in Italy. In 2023, the artisanal confectionery laboratory The Halva Lab was established in Sassuolo, producing halva inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions but made without added sugars.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/rubriche/storie/che-cosa-e-halva/ |title=Che cos'è l'halva, il dolce antico che in Italia viene prodotto solo da un laboratorio artigianale |website=Gambero Rosso |language=it |date=5 July 2025 |access-date=22 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ilrestodelcarlino.it/speciali/eventi-e-fiere/halva-lab-la-dolce-impresa-di-rossana-e-marco-b2534f08 |title=Halva Lab, la dolce impresa di Rossana e Marco |website=Il Resto del Carlino |language=it |date=16 May 2023 |access-date=22 October 2025}}</ref>
===India=== thumb|200px|Some assorted Indian halva including ''sooji halva'' (diamond shapes), ''chana halva'' (light circles), and ''gajar halva'' (dark circles) India has many types of halva, some unique to particular regions of the country. It is one of the popular sweets of India usually made from semolina.<ref>{{cite book|title=The book of Hindu festivals and ceremonies|last=Bahadur|first=Om Lata|isbn=81-86112-23-5|publisher=UBS Publishers Distributors ltd.|year=1996|location=New Delhi|edition=3rd|page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofhindufesti0000baha/page/172 172]|url=https://archive.org/details/bookofhindufesti0000baha/page/172}}</ref>
The town of Bhatkal in Coastal Karnataka is famous for its unique banana halwa which is infused with either whole cashews, pistachio or almonds. This type of authentic halwa is a specialty of the Muslims of this town. The Udupi cuisine has halwa made from banana, wheat, ashgourd, and jackfruit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hebbarskitchen.com/ash-gourd-halwa-kashi-halwa/|title=ash gourd halwa recipe kashi halwa kushmanda halwa dumroot halwa|date=February 12, 2019 |publisher=Hebbar's Kitchen|access-date=22 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322164444/https://hebbarskitchen.com/ash-gourd-halwa-kashi-halwa/|archive-date=March 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://udupi-recipes.com/2017/06/jackfruit-halwa-recipe-seasonal-dessert.html|title=jackfruit halwa recipe seasonal dessert|date=June 3, 2017 |publisher=Udupi recipes|access-date=22 March 2024}}</ref>
It is speculated that halva (or halwa) is associated with Indian traditions and culture. Written records of sweets from Mānasollāsa mention a sweet called ''shali-anna'', a type of semolina halwa which is today known as kesari in South India.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/IndianFoodTraditionAHistoricalCompanionAchayaK.T./Indian%20Food%20Tradition%20A%20Historical%20Companion%20Achaya%20K.T._djvu.txt |title=Full text of "Indian Food Tradition A Historical Companion Achaya K. T." |website=archive.org |access-date=January 30, 2019}}</ref>
Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu is known for its wheat halwa. Its preparation is a laborious process that "is slowly seeing this sweet disappear." Unlike other sweets, the extra ghee is not drained out but forms an outer layer. This increases the shelf life of the halwa. Locals attribute the unique taste of the halwa to the water of the Thamirabarani.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/tirunelveli-halwa-tamil-nadus-legendary-red-wheat-halwa-you-need-to-try-1719204 |title=Tirunelveli Halwa: Tamil Nadu's Legendary Red Wheat Halwa You Need to Try |website=NDTV Food |first=Ashwin |last=Rajagopalan |date=May 10, 2018 |access-date=August 20, 2019}}</ref>
The history of Kozhikode Halwa in Kerala could trace back to Zamorin era. Zamorin invited chefs from Gujarat to prepare halwa for their royal feast.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/food/foodie/2020/02/15/kozhikode-calicut-halwa-food-history.html |title=kozhikode-calicut-halwa-food-history |website=www.onmanorama.com }}</ref> They were also granted places to stay beside royal kitchen. This settlement later evolved as sweet sellers street, nowadays known as SM (Sweet Meat) Street or Mittayitheruvu.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/a-sweet-place-in-their-hearts/article22199237.ece |title=a-sweet-place-in-their-hearts |newspaper=The Hindu |date=December 22, 2017 |last1=Basheer |first1=K. p m. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109022425/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/a-sweet-place-in-their-hearts/article22199237.ece|archive-date=January 9, 2025}}</ref> Kozhikode halwa is made of pure coconut oil, not from ghee. Kozhikode halwa also builds religious harmony; Ayyappa devotees from neighboring states Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh buy halwa and chips like prasadam (sacred food). They distribute them among their neighbors and friends, who consume them with a religious zeal.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kozhikodan-halwas-religious-flavour/article7982580.ece |title=kozhikodan-halwas-religious-flavour |newspaper=The Hindu |date=December 13, 2015 |last1=Naha |first1=Abdul Latheef |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302211821/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kozhikodan-halwas-religious-flavour/article7982580.ece|archive-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref> <gallery> File:Sooji Halwa (Semolina Pudding).JPG|Sooji halwa made from semolina or sooji File:Black Halwa, Kerala.jpg|Black halwa from Kerala </gallery>
===Iran=== thumb|Platters of halva are served with a cake, a jelly pudding, and cooked chickens in Iranian wedding celebrations In Iran, ''halva'' ({{langx|fa|حلوا}}) usually refers to a related confection made from wheat flour and butter and flavored with saffron and rose water.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fair |first1=Chris |title=Cuisines of the Axis of Evil and Other Irritating States |date=August 3, 2008 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-59921-634-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IT3tNj0ZztcC&q=iranian+halva&pg=PA55 |access-date=November 1, 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.persiancity.com/recipes/recipe.asp?ID=27 |title=Recipe |access-date=December 5, 2008 |archive-date=February 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219014136/http://www.persiancity.com/recipes/recipe.asp?ID=27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The final product has a yellow, brown, or dark brown color. The halva is spread thin on a plate and left until it dries into a paste. Halva usually is served at wedding celebrations, religious ceremonies and funerals.
''Halva ardeh'' is the Iranian term for tahini-based halva, and may or may not include whole pistachios. ''Ardeh'' is processed sesame in the form of paste, usually sweetened with syrup.<ref>{{cite book | title = Traditional Crafts in Qajar Iran (1800-1925) | first = Willem M. | last = Floor | publisher = Mazda Publishers | date = 2003 | isbn = 9781568591476 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=N6HWAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first1 = Chris | last1 = Ying | first2 = René | last2 = Redzepi | title = You and I Eat the Same: On the Countless Ways Food and Cooking Connect Us to One Another (MAD Dispatches) | volume = 1 | publisher = Artisan Books | date = 2018 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=i0M8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT110 | isbn = 9781579658564 }}</ref>
===Israel=== Tahini halvah ({{langx|he|חלווה}}) is very popular in Israel and among Jews in the diaspora.<ref>{{cite book |last=Marks |first=Gil |author-link=Gil Marks |date=1996 |title=The World of Jewish Cooking |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=[https://archive.org/details/worldofjewishcoo00mark/page/210 210] |isbn=978-0-684-82491-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/worldofjewishcoo00mark/page/210 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/travel/1.4988697|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911081700/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/travel/1.4988697|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 11, 2018|title=Four stops for halvah|newspaper=Haaretz}}</ref> Israeli halvah is made from sesame tahini and sugar. It is generally sold in slabs, with or without nuts. Vanilla, or vanilla with chocolate swirls are perhaps the most common, but there are many different varieties. Halvah is parve. It is often served as a breakfast component at Israeli hotels.
It is also used in specialty ice cream, which is made of sesame halva, tahini, eggs, cream, and sugar, and usually topped with pistachios and Silan (date syrup).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/2013-05-30/ty-article/.premium/the-kibbutz-ice-cream-man-cometh/0000017f-efb4-dc28-a17f-ffb787d80000|title=The ice man cometh|newspaper=Haaretz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Anders |first=Anders |date=31 October 2016 |title=Halva ice cream |url=https://www.icecreamnation.org/2016/10/halva-ice-cream/ |access-date=31 October 2016 |website=Icecreamnation.org}}</ref> <gallery> File:Jerusalem DSC 0764 (8936121697).jpg|Israeli halva displays at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem File:Halva Icecream P1130769.JPG|Halva ice cream </gallery>
===Myanmar (Burma)=== In Myanmar (Burma), ''halawa'' ({{lang|my|ဟလဝါ}}) generally refers to Pathein halawa ({{lang|my|ပုသိမ်ဟလဝါ}}), a Burmese confection or ''mont'' made with glutinous rice flour, rice flour, milk, and coconut shavings originating in the Irrawaddy delta town of Pathein. Another popular semolina-based confection, which is known as sooji halawa in India, is called sanwin makin in Myanmar.
===Palestine===
In the West Bank, qizha (nigella sativa paste) flavored tahini halwa is traditionally made,<ref>{{cite news |title=Is the world ready for this Palestinian dish? |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190327-is-the-world-ready-for-this-palestinian-dish |access-date=5 March 2026 |work=BBC |date=28 March 2019}}</ref> as well as an "angel-hair" candy-floss-like variety of tahini halwa.<ref>{{cite news |title=A taste of Nablus |url=https://roadsandkingdoms.com/2014/a-taste-of-nablus/ |access-date=5 March 2026 |work=Roads & Kingdoms |date=24 Sep 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title="الحلاوة الطحينية".. علامة خليلية من زمن الناصر صلاح الدين |url=https://felesteen.news/post/97456/ |access-date=5 March 2026 |work=Palestine Online |date=2021 |language=ar |trans-title=Halva: A Hebron Signature from the Time of Nasir Saladin}}</ref>
===Syria=== thumb|Halawet al-mahya, Syria In Aleppo, Syria, {{tlit|ar|Ma'mounia}} ({{lang|ar|مأمونية}}), named after Caliph Al-Ma'mun, is a variety of halwa made by cooking semolina in butter and then drenching it in syrup, creating something similar to semolina pudding, modern varieties add hard white cheese to the dessert.<ref name="Davidson" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Mamounia (Syrian Semolina Pudding) Recipe - Guy Ben Harosh |url=https://asif.org/en/recipes/mamounia/ |website=Asif Culinary Institute |access-date=26 February 2026}}</ref> Syrian historian Khayr al-Din al-Asadi described 22 varieties of halwa being made in Aleppo in his 1971 encyclopedia.<ref name="aleppoEnc1981">{{cite book |author1=Khayr al-Din al-Asadi |author1-link=Khayr al-Din al-Asadi |title=موسوعة حلب المقارنة |date=1981 |pages=1149-1150 |url=https://archive.org/details/20191220_20191220_1403/page/n1049/mode/2up |access-date=26 Feb 2026 |language=Arabic |trans-title=Comparative Encyclopedia of Aleppo}} </ref> ''Halawat smeed'' ({{lang|ar|حلاوة سميد}}) is sometimes used to refer to varieties of semolina pudding.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bernot |first1=Kate |title=Missoula’s Most In-Demand Kitchen Is Run by Refugees |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/26/dining/missoulas-kitchen-refugees.html |access-date=26 February 2026 |work=The New York Times |date=26 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Halawet El Smeed (Semolina Pudding) recipe |url=https://thurayadelights.com/recipes/halawet-el-smeed/ |website=Thuraya |access-date=26 February 2026}}</ref><ref name="Davidson" />
{{tlit|ar|Halawet al-mahya}} ({{langx|ar|حلاوة المحيا}}) is a semolina and qatir based halwa made during the month of Sha'ban in the city of Hama, Syria.<ref>{{cite news |title=معركة حلاوة الجبن... قصّة مدينتين |url=https://www.alaraby.co.uk/supplements/%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%91%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%86 |access-date=26 February 2026 |work=The New Arab |date=2025 |language=ar-AR |trans-title=The Battle of Halawet el-Jibn... A Tale of Two Cities}}</ref><ref name="aleppoEnc1981" />
===Turkey=== In Turkey halva is served for special occasions such as births, circumcisions, weddings and religious gatherings. The tradition is for semolina halva to be served at funerals, when someone leaves or returns from Hajj, and during Ramadan.<ref name=deathFish>{{cite news |newspaper=Al Monitor (Turkey) |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/05/turkey-semolina-halva-essential-ingredient-mourning-joy.html |title=Semolina halva unites Turks in times of joy, sorrow |quote=In Anatolia, the peninsula of land that today constitutes the Asian part of Turkey, halva has a social mission: it is shared with family and friends at joyous events such as weddings, births, circumcision ceremonies and religious celebrations. Traditionally, it is also served during Lent, at funerals and when someone leaves for hajj and is welcomed back home. |first=Pinar |last=Tremblay |date=May 18, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2019}}</ref>
For this reason, flour (''un'') halva is also called in Turkish {{lang|tr|ölü helvası}}, meaning "halva of the dead". The expression "roasting halva for someone" suggests that the person referred to has died.
===United States=== Halva can be found in ethnic Indian, Jewish,<ref name="Marks_Encyclopedia" /> Arab, Persian, Greek, Balkan community stores and delicatessens as well as natural food stores. Besides being imported, it is manufactured in the United States, with the largest producer being Brooklyn-originated Joyva.<ref name=NYT.BK>{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/08/nyregion/a-longtime-brooklyn-company-thats-known-for-its-sesame-sweet.html |title=A Longtime Brooklyn Company That's Known for Its Sesame Sweet |first=Charles |last=DeLafuentenov |date=November 8, 2004}}</ref><ref name=NYT.Nos/>
=== Somalia === In Somalia, halva is known as xalwo (also spelled halwo or xalwa). It is a popular sweet made from sugar, oil, and cornstarch, flavored with spices such as cardamom, nutmeg, or cloves, and sometimes enriched with peanuts. Xalwo is traditionally served at weddings, Eid celebrations, and other festive occasions, and is often offered to guests alongside Somali tea or coffee as a symbol of hospitality.<ref>{{cite web |last=Xirsi |first=Geedi |date=25 March 2023 |title=Homemade Xalwa: A Traditional Somali Dessert |url=https://somalista.com/homemade-xalwa-a-traditional-somali-dessert/ |access-date=25 September 2025 |website=Somalista Newspaper |publisher=Somalista}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Food}} {{Div col|colwidth=22em}} * List of desserts * Aluwa * Barfi * Gajar ka halwa * Mahim halwa * Moong dal halwa{{div col end}}
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==References== {{Reflist|30em}} {{Navboxes|list1 = {{Levantine cuisine}} {{Cuisine of Greece}} {{Cuisine of Israel}} {{Jewish baked goods}} {{Cuisine of Lebanon}} {{Cuisine of Iran}} {{Cuisine of Turkey}} {{African cuisine}} {{Nut confections}} }}
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