Chandigarh 18 march 2025 : Alia Bhatt doesn’t talk about food a lot. So when she does, the actor and mum of 1 always ends up name dropping some of her most cherished bites. Years back around the start of her career, when Alia was practically a baby herself, she had shared a series of candid YouTube vlogs, one series of which was her attempting to make a few of her favourite staples for the first time. Amid conversation she ended up sharing: “My favourite desserts are usually Indian desserts…I love moong dal halwa. Dilip (her chef at the time), makes this doodhi ka kheer, which is like amazing! Sometimes when I am like in a cheat mode, then he makes it with proper sugar and everything and sometimes I say ki mujhe cheat chahiye par nahi bhi chahiye, then he makes a sugar free version for me. But that’s my favourite”.
So of course it’s no surprise that her birthday cake this year is a ‘halwa hazelnut chocolate’ cake! The unique concoction was shared by Alia’s sister Shaheen Bhatt, in an appreciation for their long-time friend Pooja Dhingra for “over-delivering” and how.
Now if all this Halwa talk has got you craving a few (or many) spoonfuls of the ghee-soaked bites, we have a recipe handy for you too!
Moong dal halwa
Ingredients: Moong da (no skin) – 1/2cup, ghee – 3tbsps, sooji – 1tbsp, besan – 1tbsp, rose water – 2tsps, chopped nuts – a handful; For syrup — water -1 cup, sugar – 1/2 cup, cardamom powder – 1/2tsp, milk – 1/2 cup
Method: Toast the moong dal over low heat until it turns a deeper brown. Stir it continuously to ensure it browns evenly. Let this cool down before grinding it in two separate batches to ensure it’s ground evenly. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, combine water and sugar to create a light sugar syrup. Once the sugar dissolves, add cardamom powder and then pour in the milk. In a pan, heat some ghee and add the ground moong dal, sooji, and besan. Roast the mixture well. Then, pour in the sugar syrup and stir for a few minutes until it thickens. Add rose water and chopped nuts. Enjoy it piping hot!
Summary: Alia Bhatt celebrates her birthday with a unique moong dal halwa cake, blending tradition with indulgence. Check out the recipe inside!