Halvah, Wa'il!

[Karen]

So I looked at a container of "halawa" from Lebanon and these were the ingredients: sesame, glucose, citric acid, halawa root.

Halawa root? A search sent me to a few sites on hair removal using a thick sugar syrup - I've tried this myself and it's totally messy - but no roots. The sugar paste is called halawa.

I tried spelling halvah a few differnt ways but no luck.

I did find a LC halvah recipe:

http://www.expertfoods.com/Recipes/rec-halvah.html

That's my detective work for today. Dying to find out what halawa root is!

Karen

[IslandGirl]

I'm tagging THIS thread...

[tamarian]

Why's my name on the thread, I'm innocent!!! ;)

Wa'il

[Karen]

But of course you are dearie! ;)

Remember to plead not guilty to the LC halvah charge when you're up before the LC judge!

Karen

[debbiedobson]

i'm Roman Catholic, but i love halvah!! we were raised on it! a special treat at Easter!! i was just looking at some the other day wishing i could eat it!!! i'm going to try this recipe for sure!!

[IslandGirl]

but but but but does anybody know anything about a "halawa root"?

[IslandGirl]

just had this weird thought flying through my head....

original marshmallow (now made with egg whites, gelatin and sugar syrups, essentially) was made with the root (or extract) of the Marsh Mallow, if I remember correctly. Has a thickening, binding, gelling property and a faint vanilla -y flavour, if any.

could this halawa root be the same thing or a close cousin? :q:

am I the only one here who asks her/himself these questions? :lol:

[Karen]

I had a taste of a marshmallow this year that was made with natural marshmallow. It was, how you say, ick?

Might be a cousin, might not!

Karen

[IslandGirl]

aw, geeee, Karen, ick is pretty subjective :lol: ... any chance you can be a bit more, um, specific about the natural flavour of marshmallow?

PS: thanks for the smile!

[Karen]

How about slimy, foamy and green tasting? :lol: It was however, in a square shape!

Karen

[doreen T]

OK, I'm procrastinating today, and tracking down Halawa root sounded like the PERFECT procrastinator's project :cool:

From a memoir of travels in Egypt ... the writer described various spices and unusual foods his wife discovered in the local market. Halawa root is described thus:"... erq halawa, a root whose powder is used in cooking but when boiled in water, and the water used to clean the floors, it would chase away bad luck from your house."
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From an Egyptian drug and herbal formulary, I was able to find;Soapwort, Turkish and Syrian ('Erq Halawa Torki wa Shami ).or Saponaria,...
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From Botanical.com (http://www.botanical.com/) we have: Soapwort - Botanical: Saponaria officinalis
Family: N.O. Caryophyllaceae
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Description---A stout herbaceous perennial ....... No odour, with a bitter and slightly sweet taste, followed by a persistent pungency and a numbing sensation in the mouth.

Constituents of the root, Saponin, also extractive, resin, gum, woody fibre, mucilage, etc.

Medicinal Action and Uses---A decoction cures the itch. Has proved very useful in jaundice and other visceral obstructions. For old venereal complaints it is a good cure specially where mercury has failed. :eek: It is a tonic, diaphoretic and alterative, a valuable remedy for rheumatism or cutaneous troubles resulting from any form of syphilis. It is also sternutatory. Should be very cautiously used owing to its saponin content.

Soapwort Root, Egyptian - Botanical: Gypsophila struthium
Family: N.O. Caryophyllaceae

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Description---The root ........Taste bitter, then acrid; odour slight; powder irritating to the nostrils. This variety is rarely used medicinally, the Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) being used as a substitute.

Medicinal Action and Uses---Tonic, diaphoretic, alterative. A valuable remedy in the treatment of syphilitic, scrofulous and cutaneous diseases, also in jaundice, liver affections, rheumatism and gonorrhoea, the decoction is generally used. Saponin is produced from this plant.
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Well, I imagine low-carbers around the globe will be dashing off to snare themselves a good dose of Halawa root.

:devil:

Doreen

[Karen]

That is too hysterical! :lol:

So now I'm wondering how it ended up in the confection we know as halvah? Was it originally medicinal? A cure for the itch, chasing away bad luck and clearing up old venereal complaints? :lol:

I just came back from shopping and I did get a bag of sesame seeds for the project. Now I'm fascinated by this halawa root. Think I'll call a place that sells such botanicals.

I'm afraid of halvah. Very afraid! It will be a test to make it, and not go mental eating it! :eek:

Karen

[doreen T]

I thought about that too Karen, and I seriously doubt that it's used for any medicinal purpose .. but more for the bitter edge and taste. That's part of the appeal of herbs like horehound and bitter lemon. Or fresh coriander, which tastes like soap .. but I love it!

Doreen

[Karen]

OMG! I think I've done it!

I'll know in an hour or so to see how it hardens.

Karen

[lisaf]

Karen! Please, no more suspense! Did you do it? I would be eternally grateful not to mention on my knees, bowing before your greatness! Did you use the mousse mix stuff in the expertfoods recipe? Oh course if it didn't turn out and approximates Halvah...well, I'd probably eat it anyway...

Lisa

[Ruth]

Doreen,

Could you hear my loud, hearty belly-laughs at your house?

Thank you for the excellent laugh.

Karen,

Anxiously awaiting result of your experiments. Need a taste-tester? I could pop over for a coffee? Just call if you need another opinion ;)

[Karen]

It turned out really well Lisa! Tastes like halvah, but doesn't quite have the crunchy, crumbly texture. It's more "chewy". That could probably be adjusted by using less water.

I didn't use the ExpertFoods recipe and used plain whey powder in it, because I don't like using ingredients that may be hard for others to find.

I'll try it again Ruth, and then you can taste the perfected results!

Karen

[IslandGirl]

I didn't use the ExpertFoods recipe and used plain whey powder in it, because I don't like using ingredients that may be hard for others to find.

As the Expert Foods is a customized blend of 4 vegetable gums and pasteurized egg whites, it's intended as a stabilizer, texturizer and "aerator", I believe (when used for Mousse).

Dried Egg Whites and/or a "titch" of xanthan gum (or guar gum but xanthan is a better texture and most neutral in flavour), all readily available in most Health Food Stores might do the stabilizing/binding trick. The plain whey protein powder is a good binder but provides its own 'texture'. :lol:

I'm thinking that leaving the 1 Cup of Sesame Seeds just coarsely ground (a few pulses in the food processor) might give some of that crunch texture back, especially if they are toasted first.

If I can remember that far back :lol: much of the crunchiness in the original halvah is provided by sugar crystals.

[tamarian]

Karen,

They chewy/rubbery texture is from the whey protein powder. What I would do, is break the powder into no more than 50% whey, and the rest from either almond meal, toasted soy flower, soy protein or a combination thereof. My vote goes for almond meal, since it rightfully belongs in a halwa recipe. :)

Wa'il

[Karen]

I didn't mind the texture being a bit "chewy". I will experiment further at the expense of my friends. ;)

karen

[IslandGirl]

are they fighting back much? :lol:

[Karen]

No, they almost never fight back when I'm stuffing all the LC sweets I don't want to eat down their throats.

It's all for the sake of science. :devil:

Karen

[Karen]

Sesame Halvah
Makes 10-12 small slices

1 cup hulled sesame seeds
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup plain whey protein powder
2 Tbsp. bulk Splenda plus 1 tsp. liquid Sugar Twin, or 1/2 cup bulk Splenda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. water

Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and toast very lightly, stirring the seeds or shaking the pan almost constantly. Pour out onto a plate to cool.

Finely grind the sesame seeds in batches, in an electric coffee grinder. Set 1/2 cup aside.

In a food processor, combine the remaining sesame seeds, tahini, protein powder, Splenda, Sugar Twin and salt.

Process until the mixture starts to form a clump. Add the reserved sesame seeds and water. Pulse until the mixture holds together in an almost solid mass.

Line a miniature loaf pan with plastic wrap and firmly press the mixture into the pan. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the halvah and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

For the entire recipe:

Total Calories: 1853
Fat: 137 grams
Carbs: 78 grams
Fiber: 32 grams
Protein: 101 grams


Variation: Chocolate Swirl Halvah

Melt 1 oz. of unsweetened chocolate and 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter together. Stir until smooth and add 1/2 tsp. liquid Sugar Twin. Break the halvah mixture into small clumps and drizzle the chocolate mixture evenly over the halvah. Toss once or twice, and pack into the pan.

For the entire recipe:

Total Calories: 2103
Fat: 164 grams
Carbs: 86 grams
Fiber: 37 grams
Protein: 104 grams