Halwa, also spelled Halva, is any of several dense and sweet dishes or desserts that is widely enjoyed in most of the Asian and Arabian countries, particularly in Middle-East, South Asia, and Central Asia. In India and Pakistan, Halva is cooked on almost every auspicious occasion or on any religious festival. In different Asian and Arabian countries it is also pronounced as Cahlva, Aluva, Halua, Halwa, Helva, Halava, Helava, Alva, Halawa, or Haleweh, and so on. Now it is also very popular in the Western countries where it is simply included in the list of sweet or desserts. Generally, there are two types of halwas: flour-based and nut-butter based. Flour-based halwa is very popular in India, Pakistan, and other neighboring countries. Semolina, wheat flour, or gram flour happens to be the main base of this sweet dish in flour-based halwa. The other ingredients are ghee, or butter, sugar, and dry fruit etc. Nut-butter based halwa happens to be crumbly and it is generally made from sesame paste or other nut butters. The main ingredients are nut butter and sugar in this type of halwa. Several vegetables, beans, and lentils are also used for making different types of halwas. Carrots, yams, potatoes, bananasa, pumpkins, chikoo, etc. are some of the fruit and vegetables that are used for making halwa in several countries. At room temperature, halwa can be kept for about three to four days without any risk of spoilage. However, it is advisable to keep halwa in a refrigerator during hot summer months. Refrigerated halwa can be heated and eaten whenever needed. It does not get spoiled for about two weeks in a refrigerator. In this book we have included some of the most popular recipes for making different types of halwas. It does not require any special skills to cook these delicious dishes in your own kitchen. Just go through the book and follow the instructions. Be your own chef and surprise your friends and family. All the best Simi Sachar