Editing Halva (section)

== Cultural and national variations==
[[File:Orient sweets (special halva) Samarkand, Siyab.jpg|thumb|200px|''Halva'' on display in [[Samarkand]], Uzbekistan]]
===Azerbaijan===
[[File:Halva_Small.JPG|thumb|Şəki halvası]]
One regional variant is from [[Shaki, Azerbaijan|Sheki]] where ''[[Sheki Halva|Şəki halvası]]'' halva refers to a layered [[bakhlava]] style pastry filled with spiced-nut mix and topped by crisscrossed patterns of a red syrup made from saffron, dried carrot and beetroot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://visions.az/en/news/534/b06ba3ac/|title=Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine ::: SHEKI'S MYSTERIES – STAINED GLASS AND THE SWEETEST HALVA|website=Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.milli.az/kilinariya/175430.html|title=Mətbəx sirləri: Şəki halvası - VİDEO|date=March 20, 2013|website=Milli.Az}}</ref>

===Greece===
Halva is a traditional fasting food among Greek Orthodox who traditionally have food restrictions, especially from meat, on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, for all of [[Great Lent]] and other fasting periods.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/dining/tahini-halvah-sesame-dessert.html|title=Sesame Extends Its Sweet Reach Beyond the Middle East|first=Julia|last=Moskin|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>

===India===
[[File:Halva1.jpg|thumb|200px|Some assorted Indian halva including ''sooji halva'' (diamond shapes), ''chana halva'' (light circles), and ''gajar halva'' (dark circles)]]
[[File:Sooji Halwa (Semolina Pudding).JPG|thumb|200px|Sooji halwa made from semolina or sooji]]
India has many types of halva, some unique to particular regions of the country. It is one of the popular sweets of India usually made from semolina.<ref>{{cite book|title=The book of Hindu festivals and ceremonies|last=Bahadur|first=Om Lata|isbn=81-86112-23-5|publisher=UBS Publishers Distributors ltd.|year=1996|location=New Delhi|edition=3rd|page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofhindufesti0000baha/page/172 172]|url=https://archive.org/details/bookofhindufesti0000baha/page/172}}</ref>

The town of [[Bhatkal]] in [[Karavali|Coastal Karnataka]] is famous for its unique banana halwa which is infused with either whole cashews, pistachio or almonds. This type of authentic halwa is a specialty of the Muslims of this town. The Udupi cuisine has halwa made from banana, wheat, ashgourd, and jackfuit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hebbarskitchen.com/ash-gourd-halwa-kashi-halwa/|title=ash gourd halwa recipe kashi halwa kushmanda halwa dumroot halwa|date=February 12, 2019 |publisher=Hebbar's Kitchen|access-date=22 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://udupi-recipes.com/2017/06/jackfruit-halwa-recipe-seasonal-dessert.html|title=jackfruit halwa recipe seasonal dessert|date=June 3, 2017 |publisher=Udupi recipes|access-date=22 March 2024}}</ref>

It is speculated that halva (or halwa) is associated with Indian traditions and culture. Written records of sweets from [[Manasollasa|Mānasollāsa]] mention a sweet called ''shali-anna'', a type of semolina halwa which is today known as [[kesari bat|kesari]] in South India.<ref>{{Cite web
   |url=https://archive.org/stream/IndianFoodTraditionAHistoricalCompanionAchayaK.T./Indian%20Food%20Tradition%20A%20Historical%20Companion%20Achaya%20K.T._djvu.txt
   |title=Full text of "Indian Food Tradition A Historical Companion Achaya K. T."
   |website=archive.org |access-date=January 30, 2019}}</ref>

[[Tirunelveli district|Tirunelveli]] in Tamil Nadu is known for its wheat halwa. Its preparation is a laborious process that "is slowly seeing this sweet disappear." Unlike other sweets, the extra ghee is not drained out but forms an outer layer. This increases the shelf life of the halwa. Locals attribute the unique taste of the halwa to the water of the [[Thamirabarani River|Thamirabarani]].<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/tirunelveli-halwa-tamil-nadus-legendary-red-wheat-halwa-you-need-to-try-1719204
|title=Tirunelveli Halwa: Tamil Nadu's Legendary Red Wheat Halwa You Need to Try |website=NDTV Food
|first=Ashwin  |last=Rajagopalan  |date=May 10, 2018
|access-date=August 20, 2019}}</ref>
[[File:Black Halwa, Kerala.jpg|thumb|upright|Black halwa from Kerala]]
The history of [[Kozhikode|Kozhikode Halwa]] in [[Kerala]] could trace back to [[Zamorin of Calicut|Zamorin era]]. Zamorin invited chefs from [[Gujarat]] to prepare halwa for their royal feast.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.onmanorama.com/food/foodie/2020/02/15/kozhikode-calicut-halwa-food-history.html
|title=kozhikode-calicut-halwa-food-history |website=www.onmanorama.com }}</ref> They were also granted places to stay beside royal kitchen. This settlement later evolved as sweet sellers street, nowadays known as [[S. M. Street|SM (Sweet Meat) Street]] or [[S. M. Street|Mittayitheruvu]].<ref>{{Cite news
|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/a-sweet-place-in-their-hearts/article22199237.ece
|title=a-sweet-place-in-their-hearts |newspaper=The Hindu |date=December 22, 2017 |last1=Basheer |first1=K. p m. }}</ref> Kozhikode halwa is made of pure coconut oil, not from ghee. Kozhikode halwa also builds religious harmony; [[Ayyappan|Ayyappa]] devotees from neighboring states [[Karnataka]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]] buy halwa and chips like prasadam (sacred food). They distribute them among their neighbors and friends, who consume them with a religious zeal.<ref>{{Cite news
|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kozhikodan-halwas-religious-flavour/article7982580.ece
|title=kozhikodan-halwas-religious-flavour |newspaper=The Hindu |date=December 13, 2015 |last1=Naha |first1=Abdul Latheef }}</ref>

===Iran===
In [[Iran]], ''halva'' ({{langx|fa|حلوا}}) usually refers to a related confection made from wheat flour and butter and flavored with [[saffron]] and [[rose water]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fair |first1=Chris |title=Cuisines of the Axis of Evil and Other Irritating States |date=August 3, 2008 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-59921-634-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IT3tNj0ZztcC&q=iranian+halva&pg=PA55 |access-date=November 1, 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.persiancity.com/recipes/recipe.asp?ID=27 |title=Recipe |access-date=December 5, 2008 |archive-date=February 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219014136/http://www.persiancity.com/recipes/recipe.asp?ID=27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The final product has a yellow, brown, or dark brown color. The halva is spread thin on a plate and left until it dries into a paste. Halva usually is served at wedding celebrations, religious ceremonies and funerals.

[[File:Wedding.Celebration.Halva.webp|thumb|Platters of halva are served with a cake, a jelly pudding, and cooked chickens in Iranian wedding celebrations]]

''Halva ardeh'' is the Iranian term for tahini-based halva, and may or may not include whole pistachios. ''Ardeh'' is processed sesame in the form of paste, usually sweetened with [[syrup]].<ref>{{cite book | title = Traditional Crafts in Qajar Iran (1800-1925) | first = Willem M. | last = Floor | publisher = Mazda Publishers | date = 2003 | isbn = 9781568591476 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=N6HWAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first1 = Chris | last1 = Ying | first2 = René | last2 = Redzepi | title = You and I Eat the Same: On the Countless Ways Food and Cooking Connect Us to One Another (MAD Dispatches) | volume = 1 | publisher = Artisan Books | date = 2018 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=i0M8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT110 | isbn = 9781579658564 }}</ref>

===Israel===
[[File:Jerusalem DSC 0764 (8936121697).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Israeli halva displays at the [[Mahane Yehuda Market]] in [[Jerusalem]]]]
Tahini halvah ({{langx|he|חלווה}}) is very popular in Israel and among Jews in the diaspora.<ref>{{cite book |last=Marks |first=Gil |author-link=Gil Marks |date=1996 |title=The World of Jewish Cooking |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=[https://archive.org/details/worldofjewishcoo00mark/page/210 210] |isbn=978-0-684-82491-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/worldofjewishcoo00mark/page/210 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/travel/1.4988697|title=Four stops for halvah|newspaper=Haaretz}}</ref> Israeli halvah is made from [[sesame]] [[tahini]] and sugar. It is generally sold in slabs, with or without nuts. Vanilla, or vanilla with chocolate swirls are perhaps the most common, but there are many different varieties. Halvah is [[parve]]. It is often served as a breakfast component at Israeli hotels, and even used in specialty [[Halva Ice Cream|ice cream]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-the-kibbutz-ice-cream-man-cometh-1.5271394|title=The ice man cometh|newspaper=Haaretz}}</ref>

===Myanmar (Burma)===
{{main|Pathein halawa|Sanwin makin}}
In [[Myanmar]] (Burma), ''halawa'' ({{lang|my|ဟလဝါ}}) generally refers to [[Pathein halawa]] ({{lang|my|ပုသိမ်ဟလဝါ}}), a Burmese confection or ''[[mont (food)|mont]]'' made with [[glutinous rice flour]], [[rice flour]], milk, and coconut shavings originating from the [[Irrawaddy delta]] town of [[Pathein]]. Another popular [[semolina]]-based confection, which is known as sooji halawa in India, is called [[sanwin makin]] in Myanmar.

===Turkey===
In [[Turkey]] halva is served for special occasions such as births, circumcisions, weddings and religious gatherings. The tradition is for semolina halva to be served at funerals, when someone leaves or returns from [[Hajj]], and during [[Sawm|Ramadan]].<ref name=deathFish>{{cite news |newspaper=Al Monitor (Turkey)
   |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/05/turkey-semolina-halva-essential-ingredient-mourning-joy.html
   |title=Semolina halva unites Turks in times of joy, sorrow
   |quote=In Anatolia, the peninsula of land that today constitutes the Asian part of Turkey, halva has a social mission: it is shared with family and friends at joyous events such as weddings, births, circumcision ceremonies and religious celebrations. Traditionally, it is also served during Lent, at funerals and when someone leaves for hajj and is welcomed back home.
   |first=Pinar  |last=Tremblay  |date=May 18, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2019}}</ref>

For this reason, flour (''un'') halva is also called in Turkish {{lang|tr|ölü helvası}}, meaning "halva of the dead". The expression "roasting halva for someone" suggests that the person referred to has died.

===United States===
Halva can be found in ethnic Indian, Jewish,<ref name="Marks_Encyclopedia" /> Arab, Persian, Greek, Balkan  community stores and delicatessens as well as natural food stores. Besides being imported, it is manufactured in the United States, with the largest producer being Brooklyn-originated [[Joyva]].<ref name=NYT.BK>{{cite news
   |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
   |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/08/nyregion/a-longtime-brooklyn-company-thats-known-for-its-sesame-sweet.html
   |title=A Longtime Brooklyn Company That's Known for Its Sesame Sweet
   |first=Charles |last=DeLafuentenov |date=November 8, 2004}}</ref><ref name=NYT.Nos/>