Life in Multan - Sohan Halwa

While I was enjoying just wandering around Hussain Agahi Bazaar taking photos I was also on the lookout for a special shop – Hafiz Ka Multani Sohan Halwa.  This is a family run store that has been making halwa for over 80 years.  In 1930 Hafiz Ahmed Din taught the Quran and made halwa for his students.  Others soon started asking for the sweets and so a business was started.  It is still a family run store with award winning sweets that are highly sought after. 

 Of course, I bought some halwa and patiently waited, unlike like me, until I got home to try some.  So delicious!  The sweets come in bright tins that are beautiful too.  Now I realise that you might not be able to travel to Pakistan, let alone get to Multan.  It would be a little mean of me to talk about a delicious sweet that you might never get to taste.  So, I have included a recipe for halwa.  Unfortunately, this is not the award winning recipe from Hafiz Ka Multani but still very delicious.  Enjoy with a cup of chai (see my other blog – Life in Lahore – Chai - for that recipe too).

Sohan Halwa Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup cornflour

1 cup almonds

½ cup pistachios

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 cups sugar

½ cup milk

8 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp ground cardamom

Method

1.     Blanch nuts in hot water for 5 minutes, drain, peel, and slice finely.

2.     Dissolve sugar in 2 cups of water and boil for 5 minutes.  Add milk and boil for another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and strain through a muslin cloth.

3.     Dissolve cornflour in 2 cups of water and add to sugar/milk mixture.

4.     Cook on medium heat until it forms one lump, add lemon juice.

5.     As the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the saucepan stir in small amounts of ghee.

6.     When all the ghee has been added stir in the ground cardamom and two thirds of the nuts.

7.     Press the mixture into a greased tin and decorate with remaining nuts.

8.     Cool in fridge.

9.     Cut into squares and enjoy!

Happy to have found the store in the bazaar and to meet the helpful, friendly people that work there.

Lots of tins to choose from or you can buy by the slice.

Photo of Hafiz Ahmed Din and awards

Beautifully presented tins of sohan halwa

Multani sohan halwa on traditional Multani blue and white pottery.

Postcard from Hussain Agahi Bazaar, Multan

As a photographer there is no better place to visit than a bazaar.  Bazaars in Pakistan are crowded, noisy, and full of interesting people, food and things.  The Hussain Agahi Bazaar in Multan is no exception.  

The bazaar is named after the saint Hazrat Syed Hussain Shah Bukhari, shortened to Hussain Agahi.  The story is that the saint was an astute businessman and that he helped many others and all their businesses did well.  So, what better name to give the bazaar than a saint with business acumen!

I entered the bazaar at the Hussain Agahi Chowk (crossroads) and the very first store I saw sold wedding decorations.  The shop sells fresh flower garlands through to mirrored centrepieces, all in bright, vibrant colours.  There are stores selling gold, fabric and kitchenwares.  I enjoyed watching food being prepared, the smell of frying samosas, chicken skewers being cooked over a small charcoal bbq and sweet cakes being carried around the bazaar.   I was also on the hunt for the Multan speciality of sohan halwa but this will be the subject of another blog.  

Walking through the bazaar was a little perilous at times with motorbikes zipping past groups of shoppers.  Every time I thought there was going to be an accident the bike managed to weave past at the last second without incident.  

 From food to fashion, teddy bears to tailors, the Hussain Agahi Bazaar is a must see in Multan.  

Life in Islamabad - Chana Chaat

Australian Photographer in Pakistan

Instagram @gaynor.shaw.photography

IFTAR RECIPE – CHANA CHAAT

Ramadan (or Ramazan or Ramzan) in Islam is the ninth month of the Muslim Calendar.  This year is lasts from April 24 to May 24.  It is a time of fasting, prayer and reading of the Quran.  It is also a time when you get together with your family and friends, cook special food and give donations to the poor.  

 During Ramadan Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.  Muslims will eat a pre-dawn meal of suhur ‘of the dawn’ and the second meal of the day is iftar ‘break of a fast’, eaten after sunset. 

 There are many special iftar recipes.  This is one of our favourites.  Let me know if you like it too.

 Chana Chaat

 Ingredients:

Two cups of dried chickpeas

One onion

One tomato

Handful of coriander

One tablespoon of Chaat Masala (Pakistani spice mix) see note*

Two lemons

Salt

 Method:

1.              In a saucepan put 4 to 5 cups of water, pinch of salt and the two cups of chickpeas. Cook until tender. Drain.

2.              Finely chop the onion, tomato and coriander (keep a little aside for presentation).

3.              In a large bowl, add all ingredients including half a tablespoon of chaat masala.

4.              Squeeze two lemons, add to the bowl, mix until well combined.

5.              Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

6.              When ready to serve, toss the chana chaat once more, sprinkle with remaining chaat masala and top with remaining coriander.

*Note

If you can’t find Chaat Masala you can substitute with Garam Masala and add some extra lemon juice to the mix