Oct 21
There are a few different variations of Masghati, which is a Persian sweet made basically from starch. This specific recipe is for Masghati borideh shodeh (cut up pieces).

Masghati (borideh shodeh)
Ingredients:
200 grams starch –its preferred that you use a flower starch, but I used corn starch
400 grams sugar
5-6 cups water
1/2 cup rose water
100 grams heated oil
1/3 cup cut up pistachio (optional)
hail (cardamom) powder (optional)
Saffron (optional) — I added yellow food coloring instead just to give it a color, but you dont have to add either
Directions:
Dissolve your starch in 5 to 6 cups of cold water. If needed you can run it through a strainer before transferring the contents into a pot on the stove top. I found that all my starch had fully dissolved and when I ran it through the strainer nothing was left behind. The temperature for the stove should be set to medium and you will need to constantly stir the mixture until it starts to thicken. Once it begins to thicken (you will notice it starts to look like a jelly like substance) then you will add the sugar and the rose water and continuously stir the mixture. I also added cardamom powder, but you can add the seed if you wish or not add it at all. Then I added the heated oil to the mixture and still continued to stir. You basically want to allow all the water to evaporate, until it is fully thickened and if you create a line across the top with a knife the line doesn’t fade that easily. At the end you will pour the thickened mixture into a dish and allow it to cool fully before cutting it into diamond pieces. You may choose to spring the top with the cut up pistachio you have while it is cooling (and before cutting it).
Tagged with: Cardamom • Pistachios • Rose Water • Starch • Sugar
Oct 04
This is a lot like the Persian recipe for Halva, except the one main difference is this is made with rice flour while Halva is made with wheat flour (typically white flour). I used a smaller amount for my ingredients because I wanted to make less.

Tar Halva
Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup rose water
1 teaspoon liquid saffron (or you can use a bit of ground up dry saffron)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Directions:
In a small pot bring the water to a boil and add the sugar, rose water, and saffron. Stir until sugar is dissolved and leave on a low heat. In another larger pot on medium temperature heat up the oil and then add the rice flour and continuously stir. Once the flour has started to change color and gets to a darker color you will place it off the stove burner and carefully pour in the liquid. Be careful it will steam up and is hot! Then you will quickly begin stirring the contents together until they begin to solidify and kind of stick together. Tar Halva doesn’t stick together like Halva does because of the different texture. Also, Tar Halva seems to be oily. Pour the contents into a plate and press down and then give it a design.
Note: One other main difference is that you will fry the rice flour for Tar Halva a bit less than you do the flour used for Halva.
Tagged with: Rice Flour • Rose Water • Saffron • Sugar
Sep 10

Halva Masghati Shirazi Persian Recipe
The recipe I have for this halva has been passed down to me by my mother-in law. I guess its one of my husbands favorites too because it doesn’t last long when I make it!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Rice Flour
1 tablespoon Starch
2 cups water & Rose water (mostly rose water)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon oil
saffron
Directions:
Stir the flour in a pot over the stove (on med to med-high heat) for approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Then add the starch and water & rose water. Continue stirring until the mix becomes slightly thick. Add the saffron, sugar, and then the oil. Continuously stir the mixture, and once the mix has a thick consistency it will be ready to pour into a dish o cool down. Keep in mind it may take 15-25 minutes of continuous stirring until it is finally thick and ready to pour into a dish. You dont want it to be too watery! Also, when it cools down it will only thicken a little more than what it is on the stove.
Tagged with: Rice Flour • Rose Water • Saffron • Starch • Sugar