Thirunelveli Halwa – Wheat Halwa

1. Soak the cracked wheat in sufficient amount of water for 8 hours.
2. Get wheat milk from the soaked wheat( How to get Wheat milk - Refer Notes).
3. In a heavy bottomed deep pan add one cup of sugar and melt it to get caramel colour, it will give brown colour to halwa.
4. Once you get the brown colour, add one cup of water and remaining sugar into it, cook on medium flame and prepare one thread consistency sugar syrup.
5. Now simmer the flame and add the wheat milk slowly, keep stirring.
6. When you reaches a semi thick stage, add ghee little by little and continue stirring.
7. Don't stop stirring.. continue.. continue... and continue for next 1 ½ hours :)
8. After one hour or so, the ghee will start oozing out and the halwa is released from the pan edges with out sticking, at this stage you can add the chopped cashew nuts.
9. Mix well and add more ghee if you need, keep stirring until it will be glossy and forms a single solid mass.
10. Switch off the flame; serve hot or keep it in a greased plate.

Notes:

1. To get the milk, grind the soaked wheat in a food processor/blender for 2 minutes.
2. Strain it on strainer.Grind the leftover one with water for one more time and strain it.Discard the scum
3. Keep the milk undisturbed for at-least 10 hours or overnight.
4. In the morning, you will find that the thick milk has settled at the bottom.
5. Retain the thick milk only and drain the excess water at the top.
6. Add 3-7 cups of fresh water into this and mix well.
7. Make sure that the total quantity of wheat milk should not be exceeded 8 cups, so adjust the water at the previous step.