Atta Halwa, popularly known as Karkala cake or Khada Prasad, is a soft and delicious, melt-in-mouth Indian style pudding prepared using wheat flour or atta, desi ghee (brown butter), and sugar as the main ingredients.
What is Karkala Cake?
Karkala is a small town in the Udupi district of Karnataka, and I proudly belong to this town. I grew up eating this gova cake (atta halwa), but only a few years back I learned that this sweet is known as Karkala cake.
How did Karkala Cake get its name?
Karkala cake is prepared during festivals, functions, or special occasions in my hometown. Guests at these events would fall in love with this sweet and try replicating it during events in their hometown, and thus, this sweet is lovingly and popularly referred to as Karkala cake.
Since I have started blogging, I have learned a lot apart from cooking. Before writing anything here, I try to get as much information about the recipe. If this sweet is popularly known as Karkala cake in the coastal region of Karnataka, in North India, this is popularly known as golden temple prasad or gurdwara karah prasad or Kadha prasad or atte ka halwa.
What is Kada prasad or Karah prasad or Gurudwara Kadha prashad?
Karah Prasad, considered a sacred food by Sikhs worldwide, is prepared as an offering in Gurudwaras using wheat flour, ghee, and sugar. Karah Prasad is then distributed in the form of prashad to all the devotees at the gurdwara. This recipe traditionally has an equal portion of ghee, wheat, and sugar to show the equality between men and women. While preparing the recipe at home, I slightly reduce the amount of ghee.
OK, Let's start the recipe.
Ingredients for ATTA HALWA | KARKALA CAKE | HOW TO MAKE AATE KA HALWA | KADA PRASAD
¼ cup Ghee or brown butter (you can use up to ½ cup Ghee)
1 tablespoon Cashews
1 tablespoon Raisins
½ cup Wheat flour or Atta
1 cup boiling Water
½ cup Sugar
¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
How to make ATTA HALWA | KARKALA CAKE | HOW TO MAKE AATE KA HALWA | KADA PRASAD
In a pan on medium flame, melt the ghee. To this, add cashews and saute until light golden. Now add raisins and wheat flour (atta) and continue to saute on medium to medium-low flame until aromatic. The taste of the dish depends on how well you saute it. It took about 5 to 6 minutes to saute the atta. The duration depends on the intensity of flame and thickness of the pan.
Once the atta has been sauteed, add hot boiling water little by little and keep stirring so that there are no lumps. Continue to stir for 2 more minutes. You can check the video here.
Now add the sugar and continue to stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until ghee leaves the sides of the pan. Finally, add cardamom powder, mix, and switch off the flame.
Tips:
- I have reduced the ghee by half - without compromising the taste of the dessert. You can double the amount of ghee for a richer flavor.
- This is a smooth cake. Just for photography purposes, I have spread the cake in the plate. You can check my video here.
- Add any nuts combination of your choice.
Love Indian sweets? Check out this list on BEST INDIAN SWEETS & DESSERTS
Video recipe for ATTA HALWA | KARKALA CAKE | HOW TO MAKE AATE KA HALWA | KADA PRASAD
Detailed recipe for ATTA HALWA | KARKALA CAKE | HOW TO MAKE AATE KA HALWA | KADA PRASAD
Recipe card
Atta Halwa | Karkala Cake | How To Make Aate Ka Halwa | Kada Prasad | Karah Parshad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Ghee or brown butter (You can use upto ½ cup Ghee)
- 1 tablespoon Cashews
- 1 tablespoon Raisins
- ½ cup Wheat flour or Atta
- 1 cup Water , boiling
- ½ cup Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Instructions
- In a pan on medium flame, melt the ghee. To this, add cashews and saute until light golden. Add raisins and wheat flour (atta) and continue to saute on medium to medium-low flame until aromatic. The taste of the dish depends on how well you saute the wheat flour. It took me about 5 to 6 minutes to saute the atta. The duration depends on the intensity of the flame and the thickness of the pan.¼ cup Ghee, 1 tablespoon Cashews, 1 tablespoon Raisins, ½ cup Wheat flour
- Once the atta has been sauteed, add hot boiling water little by little and keep stirring so that there are no lumps. Continue to stir for 2 more minutes. Check the video for preparing Atta Halwa.1 cup Water
- Now add the sugar and continue to stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until ghee leaves the sides of the pan. Finally, add cardamom powder, mix, and switch off the flame.½ cup Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Notes
- I have reduced the ghee by half – without compromising the taste of the dessert. You can double the amount of ghee for a richer flavor.
- This is a smooth cake. Just for photography purposes, I have spread the cake in the plate. You can check my video for Atta Halwa.
- Add any nuts combination of your choice.
Nutrition
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Ieva
This was so easy to make and so deliciously buttery and sweet! Cashews are my favourite nut too, so it was a very welcome addition 🙂