Halva is deliciously sweet and easy to make! The dessert is popular in the Middle East. This version is made from chana which are chickpeas. It is vegan as I have replaced the butter with coconut oil and the dairy milk with almond milk. My family found it very tasty!

I am fond of Middle Eastern dishes especially hummus, dhal and falafel. Perhaps I had a past-life in Egypt!

Makes 9 pieces

Ingredients

150g               Chickpeas

3tbsp              Coconut Oil

150ml             Almond Milk

½ tsp              Ground Cardamom

6 tbsp             Agave Nectar

50g                 Cashew Nuts

50g                 Almonds

Method

Soak the chickpeas in cold water overnight.

Drain the chickpeas and blend them while still wet to form a paste.

Melt the coconut oil in a non-stick pan. Add the chickpea paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Now pour in the almond milk. Bring to the boil and then simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add in the agave nectar, ground cardamom and roughly chopped cashew nuts and almonds. Simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly until you have a sticky dough.

Pour the dough into a square baking tray and leave to cool for 30 minutes.

Put in the freezer overnight.

Next morning take the halva out of the freezer to defrost for 1 hour. Cut the halva into rectangles and enjoy!

Store in the fridge.