Kitchens have long been appreciated all over the world. Oriental recipes are famous for their naturalness and simple range of products. You will not find any sophisticated problems in the recipe and cooking processes of such dishes. Many Uzbekistan have long been on Russian tables: pilaf, lagman, manti, samsa, fried dumplings and much more. But Uzbek sweets are especially popular. Recipes with photos can be found in our article.

Assortment of sweets in Uzbekistan

Reception of guests in Russia and Uzbekistan, as well as the schedule according to which dishes appear on the festive table, are slightly different. If in Russia we first eat the first hot dishes, then salads and only then sweets, then in Uzbekistan the opposite is true. Here guests are greeted with tea and Uzbek sweets, and then hot dishes, salads and snacks are served.

The assortment of oriental sweets is quite extensive. But mainly on the tables in Uzbekistan there are always nut dishes, homemade sweets, halva, dried fruits and sweet flat cakes. But first things first.

Parvarda

As we have already said, homemade homemade sweets are a favorite delicacy in the East. Parvarda - Uzbek sweets, reminiscent of our usual caramel. In shape, they resemble pads, in color they are most often white (since special flour sprinkles are used).

Ingredients:

• one glass of sugar;
• two glasses of water;
• half a glass of flour;
• one lemon.

Cooking process

Parvarda and other delicacies are national Uzbek sweets. The recipes for this dish are known to all Eastern men. If the Russian cuisine is dominated by a woman, then here, on the contrary, men always prepare desserts and meat.

So, to make these homemade candies, you need to use a large saucepan, preferably one with a non-stick coating. Pour a glass of sugar there and add water in the amount indicated in the recipe. Cooking regular sugar syrup. Gradually bring the syrup to a boil, stir occasionally, wait for the sugar to completely disappear from sight. Then you can squeeze the lemon juice through a sieve.

A very important aspect of making these candies is not to overcook the syrup. It should be viscous in consistency, and in color - resemble refined sunflower oil. All that remains is to cool the caramel.

This is done with a bowl of cold water and butter. How? Very simple. First, pour ice water into one bowl, grease the other with butter and pour hot caramel into it. We put one dish in another and start stirring. Thanks to the oil, the mass will not stick to the walls of the dishes, and due to the temperature difference, the caramel will quickly cool down, which is what we are trying to achieve.

When the consistency resembles malleable plasticine, you can proceed to the following manipulations. Sprinkle some flour on a cutting board. Roll a lump out of our "plasticine" and make a small hole inside. Parvarda is an unusual form of Uzbek sweets. The photo confirms this. But how is this form achieved? Explaining.

When you have made a ring inside, you need to stretch the caramel dough so that an eight forms. Then we repeat the manipulations, make eights each time and mix them together. As a rule, this is done at least twenty times.

You should end up with sweet noodles. It must be cut into square pillow pieces and sprinkled with a little flour on top. After four to six hours, the sweetness is ready.

Halva

Halva is another dish of Uzbek cuisine, which is loved by sweet tooths all over the world. The ingredients used in the preparation are very simple and affordable.

Necessary:

• 120 grams of flour.
• Half a liter of milk.
• Ghee - 125 grams.
• 200 gr. Sahara.
• Two tables. tablespoons of sesame seeds.
• Half a glass of shelled walnuts.

Cooking process

To prepare such Uzbek sweets for tea, you must first prepare flour for work. We put it on a wide flat frying pan and heat it with the addition. When it acquires a pleasant brown hue, we can proceed to further mixing the ingredients.

While the flour is frying, take and mix milk and sugar in a separate bowl. When the flour is ready, the sugar has time to completely dissolve. Add the mixture to the flour in a thin stream. We mix. The mass should stand on fire for about fifteen minutes.

Then remove the pan from the heat. Let the mass cool slightly. When it is already cool enough, you can start forming balls. As a rule, halva is made in the form of large briquettes. If you are making for yourself, and not for a large festive table, then you can (for convenience of consumption) form small balls.

Each such ball of halva should be dipped well in a dressing consisting of crushed walnuts and sesame seeds. We serve the dish on the table. We brew green tea and enjoy.

Pashmak

Required products:

• One kilogram of granulated sugar.
• Butter - 50 grams.
• Juice of half a lemon or one teaspoon of citric acid.
• Glass of water.

Cooking process

As you can see, again we use the simplest and most affordable set of products to prepare national Uzbek sweets. Pashmak is a sugar halva, which is not only very sweet and loved by children, but also useful, helping in the treatment of diseases of the bronchi and the entire respiratory system.

Like many other sweets, pashmak is prepared on the basis of sugar syrup (caramel). Mix sugar and water, boil the syrup to a caramel consistency. Then pour the liquid caramel mass onto a baking sheet or cutting board and stretch it until white threads appear.

At this time, you should already have flour on the stove. Fry the flour, as in the previous recipe, until brown. Then the caramel mass should be dipped in flour and stretched again into the finest threads. We make small sausages from the finished caramel noodles and cut them into cubes.

Nishalda

But not all dishes of this cuisine are prepared in a matter of minutes. Sometimes you have to make every effort and patience to prepare traditional Uzbek sweets. We will provide a photo with the names, we will try to describe the cooking process as thoroughly as possible, but whether you take up such an experiment is up to you.

If you decide to spend your time, then let's start preparing another sweet Uzbek dish. Nishalda looks like a very thick white sour cream. This recipe will be based on egg whites and sugar syrup.

Required set of products:

• 3 kg of sugar.
• 2.5 liters of water.
• 8 eggs.
• 7 teaspoons of citric acid.
• Three roots of etmak.

Cooking process

Let's make a small digression and talk about what the etmaka root is. Let's say right away that it's not even worth starting to cook a nishalda without it, it, as they say, contains all the salt.

So etmak is what many call it. He is tumbleweed, he is the root of the paniculata clavicle. Somewhere in Tashkent, there will be no problems at all with the purchase of such a product, at any bazaar they sell it, and it is inexpensive. But in Russia it is not so easy to find an etmak. What to do? What to replace?

Approximately the same amount of substances contained in etmak is found in licorice root or licorice root. You can replace the root with gelatin or agar. But the beneficial properties that this dessert has due to the etmak content will, unfortunately, be lost when replaced with other products.

Let's get started. If you still find etmak roots, then grind them and fill them with water. We put on low heat and cook for about two hours. If this ingredient is not there, then brew licorice root (it is sold in any pharmacy) and insist it for about an hour.

During this time, you will need to work with proteins. The whites must be whipped for a long time. If you have helpers, ask them to be in charge of the proteins while you cook the sugar syrup.

Sugar syrup is made according to a traditional recipe (we described it just above). When the syrup is almost ready, add citric acid to it. Cook for a couple more minutes and remove from heat.

Let's move on to mixing the finished ingredients. While the process of whipping the proteins is going on, add syrup to them in a thin stream, then the decoction of the root. The mass should be quite thick and incredibly white. It is stored in the refrigerator. Served with tortillas and just tea.

Brushwood

This dish is considered a festive one. But in Russia, such Uzbek sweets are great for an afternoon snack, for breakfast and just for gatherings over tea. Experienced housewives advise to cook brushwood using butter and good fat milk.

Ingredients:

• Two eggs.
• 4 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar.
• 100 grams of milk.
• 50 grams of butter.
• Two glasses of flour.
• Vegetable oil - glass.

Cooking process

Take a look at the list of products. This is what Uzbek cuisine is famous for. The recipes for sweets here consist of such simple and understandable components that even a hostess who hardly touches on the preparation of complex dishes can find them in her refrigerator.

So, we mix flour and eggs. In a separate bowl, dissolve the sugar in the butter. It can be preheated in a water bath or in a microwave oven. Pour the creamy mass into the dough and mix well.

Many housewives believe that good brushwood is best made from puff pastry. But not Uzbek sweets. The recipes here are simple, easy and do not require any special culinary delights. The brushwood dough is made quickly and easily, as you can see.

When the dough is well mixed, form a ball out of it. Roll out quite thinly and cut into squares or rectangles. In the center of each geometric shape we make an incision and stretch the tip of the dough through the resulting hole.

Now all that remains is to fry the brushwood until crisp in vegetable oil. You can sprinkle it with powdered sugar before serving, or you can simply serve it with jam, sweet berry syrup, jam, etc.

Sherbets

Sherbets are also popular Uzbek sweets. The recipes are based on the use of berry or fruit decoctions. Delicious sorbets are made from pomegranate and grape, apricot and strawberry, lemon and cherry juices.

For cooking you will need:

• One glass of sugar.
• Two glasses of water.
• One kilogram of your chosen fruit or berries.

Cooking process

Making sherbet according to the Uzbek recipe is very simple. You will need to boil the sugar syrup. We have already described above how this is done. All according to the standard recipe.

Add squeezed fruit or berry juice to hot syrup. Let it cool slightly and pour it into molds or glasses. The national sweet dish of Uzbekistan is ready.

Halva in dietetics

The eastern symbol of the sweetness of life refers to those products that can and should be eaten with various diets. And this is contrary to stereotypes that in the treatment or weight loss regimen, everything sweet should be excluded. After all, halva does not contain much sugar. Some of its varieties have a honey or fructose base. And varieties like gluten-free, legume, or carrot have earned a reputation as a dietary supplement.

Halva contains the same amount of protein compounds as in meat products. Plant protein is also necessary for a person to build a muscular system, just like animal protein. Therefore, halva is recommended for the nutrition of athletes, people of an active lifestyle.

Contraindications

The reasons limiting the consumption of halva are the following diseases and body reactions:

1. diabetes;
2. liver disease;
3. pancreatitis;
4. obesity;
5. atopic dermatitis and individual intolerance to the components of the halva composition.

• The maximum daily portion is 30 grams. The exception is special diets, for example, methods of losing weight on halva and kefir, on green tea, etc.
• The ideal appointment time is the first half of the day.
• Dessert should not be washed down with a sweet drink.
• Products should be offered with caution to children under 6 years of age.

Those who are "sitting" on a diet should take into account the ratio of the calorie content of food, which is included in a one-time meal. And if for dessert it is conceived to eat a piece of halva - classical or dietary, then the main part of the lunch (breakfast) should be low-calorie.

Composition, types of calorie content and BZHU

There are a lot of varieties of halva: modern food technologies make it possible to improve the classic recipe and improve the taste. But the base of the product is made up of such unchanging components as nuts, seeds, flour. And depending on the base, there are three main types: classic halva from sunflower seeds, nut and tahini (from sesame seeds).

Sunflower or Classic

The most common is sunflower halva, the composition of the product includes a pasty mass of seeds, caramel made from molasses or sugar. Its calorie content is expressed by an average of 500/550 kcal per serving of halva in 100 grams. 50% is occupied by carbohydrates, provoking an energy surge, and the remaining 50% is distributed between plant proteins and unsaturated fats, which do not harm the level of cholesterol in the blood.

The nutritional benefits of sunflower halva are undeniable: it is rich in vitamins B2, E, PP. Also, the beneficial properties of sweetness are due to the presence of iron, potassium, copper, calcium, phosphorus and a sufficient amount of dietary fiber and maltose. And it goes well with additional ingredients - chocolate, candied fruit, coconut and other flavors.

Nut or Peanut

A characteristic feature of this type of favorite dessert is that it can be based on various nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc.) or a mixture of them. Peanuts, although they belong to the legume family, are also considered a valuable raw material for nut halvah. It makes a delicious product with great dietary benefits over the classic version. So, peanut halva has a lower calorie content: the indicator does not reach 500 kcal. And the vitamin composition remains at the same level. Periodic consumption of peanut treats (20 grams per day) is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis and memory impairment.

Halva with pistachios is also popular in the same row, the composition of which includes flour, milk caramel and kernels of your favorite nuts. A rarer option when pistachio dessert is made from delicate nut butter. It is classified as an aphrodisiac food and is recommended for romantic dates.

Takhini or Sesame

Sesame halva is a sweetness typical of Central Asian cuisine. It is based on whole sesame seeds or their middle part - in this case, it is called tahini. The vitamin and mineral composition does not suffer from these factors: in either case, the product is saturated with vitamins of groups F and E, zinc, manganese, calcium, magnesium.

Caloric content is expressed as 470 kcal per 100 gram serving. It is noteworthy that this variety has the highest content of serotonin - the main natural antidepressant, the hormone of joy. The concentration of ascorbic acid in this product is another nutritional benefit that makes sesame dessert recommended for cancer prevention.

How to choose halva?

So that the taste of your favorite dessert does not disappoint, but brings true gastronomic pleasure and undoubted benefit to the body, you need to take note of a few tips:

1. When buying, give preference to a product that can be considered. Blind packaging, for all its colorfulness and attractiveness, can hide a poor-quality confectionery product.
2. When evaluating the "appearance" of the dessert, pay attention to the uniformity of the mass. It should exfoliate, crumble easily, but not crumble from light pressure. And no unnecessary elements on the surface - grains, sugar drops, husks, etc.
3. In halva, the composition excludes a dark color. Usually a darkened mass indicates an expiration date.
4. If the seller allows you to taste the sweetness (in a specialized department, on the market), then the selection criterion is taste: moderately sweet, without bitterness. Also, a quality product literally melts in your mouth and does not stick to your teeth.

Any sort of fresh delicacy is useful for blood formation and the digestive tract. The naturalness of the components, folic acid in the composition allow to include halva in the diet of pregnant women and the list of "beauty products".

Halva is not only tasty, but also healthy, and cooked on your own, it is also completely natural.

Cooking process:

1. Melt butter in a wide skillet, add flour. Fry the flour, stirring constantly, until light brown or reddish in color.
2. Separately combine milk and sugar, put on the stove, stirring constantly, bring to a boil.
3. Pour milk into a pan with fried flour in a thin stream, mix thoroughly.
4. Pre-fry the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan and add to the milk mixture, leave a little sesame seeds for dusting.
5. Finely chop the walnuts in a blend and add them to the rest of the ingredients.
6. Mix everything and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
7. Prepare a form, preferably metal, put cling film on the bottom, grease it with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds on top.
8. Pour halva on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds again. Wrap the film, press the halva tightly with a lid.

Leave the halva in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf for 2-3 hours and then enjoy the finished dessert.

Peanut halva recipe

Products:

• Peanuts - 300 gr.
• Vegetable oil - 120 ml.
• Sugar - 200 gr.
• Flour -150 gr.
• Water - 200 ml.
• Vanillin - 15 gr.

Cooking process:

1. Pour flour into a dry hot frying pan and fry until golden brown for 2-3 minutes, transfer the flour to a dry bowl.
2. Grind roasted and peeled peanuts in a blender until crumbly, add to flour.
3. Separately, pour sugar into a container and pour in a little water, place on the stove. Boil the syrup, stirring constantly, over medium heat. After boiling, add vanillin and simmer for another 2 minutes.
4. Pour the syrup into a bowl with a mixture of flour and peanuts, add vegetable oil there. Mix everything thoroughly until a homogeneous, friable mass.
5. Prepare the form, grease it with oil and lay out the halva, smooth and press down with something heavy.
6. Refrigerate for 1.5-2 hours

Halva can be cut into pieces, shaped into different shapes, or made into balls.

Optionally, you can dip the finished halva in melted chocolate or sprinkle with coconut. Halva is a healthy sweetness, especially since it is easy to prepare and it is stored for a long time, so make the dessert more often and enjoy a pleasant tea party.

Uzbek halva recipe

Ingredients:

• high-quality flour - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• ghee - 25 g;
• milk - 2 tbsp.;
• water;
• white sugar - 0.5 tbsp.

Preparation

Dissolve the ghee in a deep bowl, add the sifted flour and mix. Brown the mixture until it becomes brownish. After that, pour in a little water and stir again so that there are no lumps. Boil milk separately, throw sugar into it and wait for complete dissolution. Then combine milk syrup with toasted flour and boil over low heat until thickened. We put the finished Uzbek white halva in molds greased with oil and carefully tamp it. When the delicacy has completely cooled down, cut it into small pieces and serve.

Uzbek halva with nuts

Ingredients:

• - 200 g;
• sesame seeds - 100 g;
• flour - 250 g;
• butter - 110 g;
• vanillin.

For syrup:

• sugar - 250 g;
• Salo;
• water - 400 ml.

Preparation

First, let's prepare the syrup: boil water in a saucepan and add the required amount of sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat until thick.

Lightly fry the sesame seeds and cool. Brown the flour in a frying pan, greased in advance with mutton lard. We pass all the nuts through a meat grinder several times. After that, mix the flour with sugar syrup and nuts. We transfer the resulting mass to enameled dishes and cook the Uzbek halva, stirring constantly, over medium heat. After 25 minutes, put the treat into a mold and sprinkle with sesame seeds on top. We tighten the halva with a film, lightly press down on top and close the form with a tight lid.

Uzbek halva with pistachios

Ingredients:

Preparation

So, take a cast iron pan, pour milk and add chopped pistachios. Then we throw in the sugar and ghee. Mix everything thoroughly and bring to a boil over medium heat. After that, we reduce the flame and boil the mass, stirring occasionally with a spoon. When there is almost no milk left, remove the dishes from the stove and put the halva in a prepared container. After complete hardening, cut the delicacy into rhombuses and decorate with a nut. You can sprinkle halva with sesame seeds, powdered sugar, or chopped walnuts if you wish.

Travelers took it with pleasure on long journeys; they simply needed it. Firstly, halva is very high in calories, quickly satisfies hunger, in addition, a very small piece was enough for a traveler for a whole week, and secondly, it is capable of not deteriorating for a long time. In Persia, this dessert was generally endowed with magical properties. Halva was first brought to Russia during the era of the Crusades. Our knights were very interested in the amazing delicacy that the Eastern Saracens indulged in (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saracens). The confectioners who made halva were called kandalatchi. The profession of kandalatch still stands apart from other cooking professions today, and this is because the production of halva requires not only special training, but also the necessary skills. Unfortunately, today halva is made by hand only in three countries: Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey. Of course, halva created by the shackles of the mentioned countries is the best in taste and quality. How do real masters prepare this dessert?

Making halva

Let's see, what is halva made of? It all starts with seeds. Usually they are dried with hot air. According to an old recipe, seeds peeled from husk must be fried, and exclusively on a cast-iron brazier. Only then will the seeds have a golden crust and a unique smell. It is important to constantly stir the seeds, if they burn, the halva will taste bitter. During frying, almost all moisture is evaporated from sunflower seeds. But the amount of useful oils does not decrease. In order for the grains to grind well, the amount of moisture in them should be no more than 2%. Each seed is half oil. The Kandalatchi send the fried seeds to an excuter, which thoroughly grinds the kernels, turning them into a protein mass. An oily paste made from crushed seeds is called halvin. This is the basis of an old recipe. Grind the paste several times until it becomes liquid, like condensed milk. Then, following an old recipe, the craftsmen add a little vanilla. Next, caramel is prepared. First, the syrup is made from water, sugar and molasses. The finished sugar syrup should be thick and viscous. To turn the sweet mass into caramel, a decoction of the soap root is added to it. The roots of this Mediterranean plant contain substances called saponins, which, when shaken, form a thick white foam. To prepare halva, a decoction of soapwort is mixed with sugar syrup and shaken into a persistent foam. The result is a snow-white caramel. Then the magic begins. Caramel is combined with halvin. Both ingredients are mixed very liquid. How will the dessert become firm and crumbly? This is the magic. The future halva is kneaded with oars, as was done in the East many centuries ago. The trick is to gently pull the caramel strands while kneading. One thread can stretch up to 10 meters. Only with such careful mixing will halva turn out to be airy and fibrous. If the mass was stirred by a mixer, it would break the fragile caramel threads, making the dessert crumbly like sand. That is, if mechanisms are used in the manufacture of halva, a real, correct delicacy will never work. After kneading, halva is completely ready. Now it can be packed in boxes. Chocolate halva is also hand-kneaded. It is important not to overdo it here, otherwise the sweetness will turn out to be not airy, but tough.

How to choose the right halva

In our country now, unfortunately, halva is not made by hand. And in the industrial production of halva, the quality suffers greatly, halva quickly releases fat to the surface and goes rancid, or, conversely, crumbles and crumbles. In addition, our manufacturers, as you know, sin by adding all kinds of components to it: flavorings, sweeteners and thickeners, replacing them with natural sugar and honey. These substances are completely not provided for by old recipes and, of course, worsen the taste of the product and its structure. Therefore, when buying, you must definitely read the composition of halva. The package should contain only seeds or nuts, sugar or honey, a foaming agent (soap or licorice root), molasses and vanillin. Halva should have a layered fibrous structure, not crumble and be moderately moist. Well, if the packaging is transparent, then the buyer will be able to see the quality of the product he is offered. If drops of fat are visible inside the package, it means that either the technological process or the storage conditions of halva have been violated. It happens that halva literally floats from a pool of fat and its traces remain on the store shelf. This is generally unacceptable.

White caramel icicles, which can be seen on the break of halva, also indicate its low quality and disruption of the technological process. If you clearly see a dark bloom on a piece of halva, then its shelf life is almost over. The shelf life of the weighed-out delicacy is just over two months. If it is glazed with chocolate or packed using vacuum technology, then this period can be increased to six months. Also, halva should not contain particles of the husk of seeds or even nuts. This can only indicate the low quality of the product, which, moreover, is unsafe to give to children.

Properties and benefits of halva

Halva, it turns out, has not only a wonderful taste that melts in the mouth, but also wonderful beneficial properties that carry real value. To begin with, it must be said that good halva contains only natural ingredients, so it can be safely given to children.

What is halva useful for?

It contains a large amount of vegetable fats. But not only them. Halva is rich in fatty acids, proteins and dietary fiber. It contains a significant content of minerals necessary for a person: this is potassium, and zinc, and copper, and iron, as well as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. This healthy dessert has anti-aging properties. All the benefits of halva come down to the benefits of the products from which it is made. After all, seeds or nuts, when dried and crushed, do not lose their properties. Halvah, which contains several components, only enhances these properties.

The main benefit of any natural halva is the polyunsaturated fatty acids of plant origin it contains. These are substances such as linoleic, linolenic, oleic and other valuable acids. It also contains a lot of protein, which contains useful proteins and amino acids. And, of course, vitamins and minerals that this product is rich in. In general, depending on what raw material halva is made of, its useful properties will change. We will talk about this in more detail when we consider its various varieties.

The use of halva

Is it possible for nursing halva?

Of course, nursing mothers are very strict about their diet. And rightly so, because what they eat should not harm a newborn baby. But, if the question arises, is it possible for a nursing mother to have halva, then the answer to it will most likely be positive.

A young mother, of course, wants something sweet and tasty, but a lot is not allowed, for example, it is not recommended to consume chocolate. But halva made from natural products may well be an acceptable food for feeding. Many mothers eat it from the very first days after the birth of their baby. In some eastern countries, halva is even indicated for breastfeeding.

Let's remember what halva is made of? The main component is nuts or seeds. Both are non-allergenic and should not be harmful. In any case, if there is a choice between cake, candy or halva, then it is better to give preference to halva.

On the other hand, due to the high calorie content of the product, its use can negatively affect digestion. Here it is important to know that if the sweetness is poorly digested by the mother, then it will certainly cause an undesirable reaction in the child, for example, bloating.

Therefore, you need to follow the golden rule of all breastfeeding mothers. Halva, like any other product, should be introduced gradually, starting with a small piece. If the child did not react very well to sunflower halva, then you can try another, for example, peanut or tahini. Fortunately, there are more than a dozen varieties of halva and there are plenty to choose from. The main thing is to monitor the naturalness of the composition and the shelf life. Over time, you can choose for yourself the manufacturer whose product is well suited for both the mother and the child. It's great if the mother has time to make this choice before the birth. To do this, you just need to eat a small piece of halva on an empty stomach, if it does not cause either pain or severity, then during feeding it, most likely, it will be possible to eat without fear.

Is halva harmful?

Halva can bring in itself not only benefit, but also harm. The harm to halva is primarily in its calorie content and increased sweetness. The high sugar content immediately makes it unacceptable for people with diabetes. The high calorie content of halva creates serious restrictions in its use for overweight people. It may be contraindicated for those with a tendency to allergies. Since it is a fatty product, it should not be consumed in large quantities by those with problems with the pancreas or liver.

Due to the high calorie content of this dessert, nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 30 g of delicacies per day. The next aspect is the properties of the products that form the basis of halva. Over time, sunflower seeds can accumulate such an innocuous substance as cadmium. Therefore, it is better to use halva only fresh, since a product that has been lying for a long time can be harmful. Peanut halva can contain such a dangerous poison as aflatoxin, so it is better to refrain from offering it to children. In addition, unscrupulous manufacturers can add substances containing genetically modified organisms to tahini or sesame halva, which is most likely not useful for humans.

Halva types

• Sunflower halva. The most popular halva in our country is, of course, sunflower halva. We all know her since childhood and are loved by many. It is made from sunflower seeds. Its color should be about the same as the peeled seeds themselves. The benefits of sunflower halva are obvious. Its use can improve blood circulation, have a positive effect on the state of digestion in general, improve the functioning of the nervous system due to the rich content of B vitamins. Vitamins of this group can suppress depression and fight insomnia, they help even with such unpleasant ailments as acne and dandruff. Halva in sufficient quantities contains another vitamin useful for humans - vitamin D. Its content helps the body absorb calcium, we can say that it is simply necessary for this. And what is calcium for our body? These are strong bones and teeth, nails and hair. The vitamin E contained in the dessert helps the body to slow down the aging process. The benefit of sunflower halva is that the seeds themselves are an excellent means of preventing such a formidable disease as myocardial infarction. Sunflower seeds are also able to have a beneficial effect on the normal functioning of the biliary tract and liver. They have another remarkable property - they are able to inhibit the development of tumor processes in various organs such as the intestines, mammary glands, lungs, ovaries and human skin.
• Peanut halva. As the name implies, this is halva, which is obtained from peanuts. It is different in color from sunflower and should have a creamy shade. Peanuts are no less useful for the human body than sunflower seeds. The main advantage of peanuts is that they are incredibly rich in vitamin B9 or, as it is also called, folic acid. This vitamin is especially necessary for pregnant women, but not only for them. Among the advantages of folic acid is the ability to renew human cells, thereby slowing down the aging process. Other vitamins and microelements that make up the peanuts make our nervous system work better, correct attention, and strengthen memory. Its beneficial effect on the body can hardly be overestimated; peanuts improve the functioning of the liver, heart and the entire cardiovascular system as a whole. It also removes free radicals well and inhibits the development of tumors.
• Sesame or tahini halva. In Turkey, halva is made from sesame seeds. It is called sesame or tahini halva. This halva is also called Turkish halva, since it is from this country that it originates and it is there that it is best made. Sesame halva is much lighter than sunflower, it has a light gray tint, in addition, it is endowed with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Sesame is another storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Most of all it contains vitamin A, and this is vision, beautiful skin and the state of our immunity in general. Sesame is rich in zinc. This substance is essential for healthy hair and nails. Another valuable trace element is iron, which has a beneficial effect on blood composition. The phosphorus in sesame seeds improves brain function. Sesame seeds contribute to the normal functioning of the respiratory system, they also have anti-carcinogenic properties. They also have one more, recently discovered advantage. They are able to regulate oxygen metabolism, which helps cell renewal and enables the body to recover better from stress and stress. Sesame is also able to fight the negative effects of alcohol on the body and lower cholesterol levels.
• Walnut halva. Not only peanut kernels are used as raw materials for the manufacture of nut halvah. Other nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, are often taken as a basis. Nuts are extremely rich in various vitamins, especially such as A, E and vitamins of almost the entire group B. In nuts, there is a sufficient amount of phosphorus and iron, calcium and potassium. Nuts should be consumed by the elderly to prevent the onset of senile dementia. They can also reduce the risk of heart attack.

Such kind of halva as pistachio is rarely found in stores, however, this does not detract from its taste and the nutrients it contains. It will help people recuperating after illnesses, it is also indicated for problems with the liver and heart. Pistachios have another magical property. Their ability to act as an aphrodisiac is known. Sometimes you can find a mention of the Azov halva. However, this kind of halva does not exist. In saying this, we usually mean the products of the Azov confectionery factory.

Halva is not difficult to make at home. All the ingredients that make up halva are available to most of us. It is enough to follow the recipe and, most importantly, the production technology. Then you yourself can get a delicate homemade halva with a wonderful delicate taste and unsurpassed aroma.