Heat ghee: Heat the ghee in a heavy bottom pan on medium-low heat.
Roast flour: Once hot add wheat flour. Keep stirring constantly and roasting. In the beginning, as you mix, it will be clumpy and feel heavy as you stir.- Roast for until you notice the color change and it becomes aromatic. Also, you’ll notice that flour feels light, becomes pasty and ghee starts to ooze out from the side. These are the signs that flour is roasted perfectly.
Add water & stir: Now add water and using another hand keep stirring as you add water to avoid lumps. Keep stirring and cooking, within 2-3 minutes all the water has been absorbed and it becomes thick.
Add the sugar: Now add sugar. Mix, as sugar melts, it comes runny and loose again. Keep stirring and cooking until it becomes thick and leaves the sides of the pan. Also, ghee starts to ooze out from the sides. Turn off the stove.
Add flavoring & Serve: Now add cardamom powder and mix. Serve warm.
Notes
Always use heavy-bottom pan/kadai to make this atta halwa.
Roasting the flour properly is the key to get the best-tasting wheat halwa. Otherwise, you’ll have a raw taste of flour and halwa becomes dense.
Roast the flour on Medium-Low heat.
Keep stirring continuously all the time. You’ll get good arm exercise.
If adding nuts, I would recommend frying beforehand in the ghee, remove them to a plate and add at the end.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container, Stays good for a day at room temperature, 3-4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Reheat: Remove the required amount and just warm (not hot) it up in a microwave.