What is Halva?
[[File:Halva.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Types of halva in Istanbul, Turkey]] [[File:Kozhikode Halwa.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Different kinds of halva in [[Kerala]], India]] [[File:Orient sweets (special halva) Samarkand, Siyab.jpg|thumb|250px|right|types of halva in Samarkand, Uzbekistan]] [[File:Halva IMG 2412.JPG|thumb|250px|right|types of halva in Jerusalem, Israel]] '''Halva''' (also known as halvah, halwa) is a type of confectionery widely spread throughout Turkey, [[Middle East]] as well as [[South Asia]]. The name is used for a broad variety of recipes, generally a thick paste made from flour, butter, liquid oil, saffron, rosewater, milk, cocoa powder, and sweetened with sugar.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NgcWAQAAMAAJ&q=origin+of+Halva|title=Lucknow: The Last Phase of an Oriental Culture|last1=Sharar|first1=Abdul Halim|last2=Sharar|first2=ʻAbdulḥalīm|date=1994-05-12|publisher=OUP India|isbn=978-0-19-563375-7|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bIIeBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA378|title=The Oxford Companion to Food|last=Davidson|first=Alan|date=2014-08-21|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-104072-6|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Clark|first=Melissa|date=2004-03-24|title=For Halvah, Use 1/2 Cup Nostalgia|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/24/dining/for-halvah-use-1-2-cup-nostalgia.html|access-date=2020-08-15|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Halva has a number of geographical sources: from [[Iraq]], [[Lebanon]], [[Pakistan]], [[Iran]], [[India]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Russia]], [[Belarus]], [[Poland]], and [[Ukraine]]. It is considered a national dish in [[Turkey]]. There are many types of halva. In Israel, crude sesame base is popular. In Russia, halva made out of Sunflower seeds is popular. == Types and preparation == *[[Sesame]] or [[Peanut]] - Made from raw [[tahini]], mixed with sugar syrup and sometimes honey. The ingredients are mixed to form a solid, fatty lump, that easily melts in heat, break apart easily, and become e