Kachi | Persian halva pudding recipe, Iranian delicious dessert in 5 steps

Stay with us in the rest of this article from the Cookery Magazine so that we can answer the question together, what is Persian halva pudding, and what are the types of Persian halva pudding?

In the not-so-distant past, people believed that Persian halva pudding, if prepared with animal oil, a lot of saffron, and various nuts, could cure any disease.

Now that we have answered the question of what Persian halva pudding is, it is time to get acquainted with the types of Persian halva pudding. 

Persian halva pudding is a dessert cooked everywhere in Iran on the festive table and on occasions such as Ramadan, with only changes depending on the taste.

The Nazri tables that concluded Persian halva pudding are: Hazrat Abulfazl’s table/Hazrat Ruqayya’s table, and Bibi Noor’s table, which is known as Bibi Hoor in Isfahan.

Nazri tables are ceremonies performed to appeal to the imams and those close to God.
Requesting and begging in front of a personality like Hazrat Abbas (Bab al-Hawaij) and reciting his plight can strengthen our beliefs.

Apart from the regional classification of Persian halva pudding, it can also be classified according to its use and the situation in which it is to be consumed. Among different types of Persian halva pudding, these are more beneficial: kachi for puerpera, Kachi for periods, Kachi for colds, etc.

But it is good to point out here that sometimes the types of this dessert are classified and given different names because of the ingredients inside.

And in Kerman, almonds, pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts are usually added to it to increase its nutritional value.

Quymaq, the famous Persian halva pudding of Tabrizi and Turkish-speaking cities
In some cities of Iran that speak Turkish, especially Tabriz and Urmia, they call Kachi, Qaymaq or Qawimaq (قیماق یا قویماق).

Tabrizi kachi or Quymaq spice includes ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and cumin, which are poured in equal amounts in this dessert.

However, this title is given to kachi in other cities, and in some cities, instead of water, milk is used for cooking kachi, which is called Quymaq shir (shir= Milk) or Milk Persian halva pudding.

But apart from all the types of kachi that we mentioned, kachi is made in different ways and with different ingredients in different cities, and sometimes it is called by different names, as we have seen.

For example, a type of Persian halva pudding is produced in Shiraz called camomile kachi (کاچی بابونه), which has its own composition, or southern Persian halva pudding, which is made with flour, and in cooking, the flour is first roasted and then the oil is added to it, just like halva, and this is what makes South’s Persian halva puddings have a dark colour.

It is going to be said that we have Afghan halva pudding, a dessert from Afghanistan

Kachi is one of those easy desserts that are also cooked in countries around Iran; for example, Afghani kachi is one of the types of kachi cooked with the same approach as a strengthening dessert.

Ingredients for making Kachi

Rice flour or wheat flour	8 tablespoons
White sugar	6 tablespoons
Oil or butter	2 tablespoons
Rose water	1 tablespoon
Cardamom powder	1 tablespoon
Cinnamon	½ teaspoon
Brewed saffron	1 tablespoon
Turmeric	½ tablespoon
Water	4 cups

You can also try kachi with milk and use milk instead of water. This recipe’s materials are similar to those for preparing porridge with starch (Ferni), but kachi and Ferni will have different properties.

Recipe for making Persian halva pudding

First step

First, we sift the flour twice, then pour the sifted flour into a suitable pot and roast it on low heat until the raw smell of the flour is removed. Next, we add oil or butter to the flour along with turmeric.

Second step

Now we have to fry the flour mixture a little until it turns golden; you don’t need to fry the flour too much so that it changes colour completely.
Next, we mix water with sugar, cardamom powder and brewed saffron in another container until they become uniform.

Third step

At this stage, we add the mixture of water and other ingredients to the pot containing the flour and stir continuously until it thickens.
Now we have to close the pot lid and leave the kachi on very low heat for about 30 minutes until it is ready.

The fourth step

Stirring the kachi every few minutes is better so it does not stick.
In the last 10 minutes of cooking kachi, we add rose water to the pot; after the kachi reaches the desired consistency, we remove it and set it aside.

The fifth step

For the consistency of kachi, you should note that kachi hardens when it cools down.
Finally, put the kachi in the desired dish and decorate it with cinnamon, pistachio powder or anything else according to your taste.

Conclusion

Tips for preparing Persian halva pudding

• In preparing kachi, sugar can be replaced with honey, grape juice or saffron rock candy.
• You can crush candy canes to make this delicious dessert or dissolve them in boiling water.
• Using grape juice instead of sugar and candies is like sugar or honey.
• The steps of the kachi recipe can be done in different orders. For example, you can prepare the syrup first and then start frying the flour; Or you can prepare both simultaneously and add the hot syrup to the flour later.
• Generally, kachi is cooked with rice or wheat flour. If you like kachi with both wheat flour and rice, just mix 1/2 cup of rice flour with 1/2 cup of wheat flour and sift both.
• Butter can also be replaced with solid or animal oil in kachi.

Frequently Asked Question