Halouvas Sisamenios (Sesame)
Halvas or Halouvas Sisamenios (Sesame) is a popular Cypriot sweet especially during the fasting period. There are many ways to prepare a variety of Halouva forms (simigdalenos or sisamenos).
Sisamenos halvas is made from tahini, which traditionally is combined with sugar syrup or honey or carob syrup. Before the syrup is combined with the tahini it is first beaten and warmed in a special mixer until it becomes a white caramel. This is also why the halvas has a lighter colour than tahini which is a darker colour. What gives the white caramel its elasticity and its mastic texture, is a very bitter and salty liquid from soapwort. This is a dark walnut colour and it usually imported from Russia.
It is also called grocer’s halvas because it was sold in grocery stores, while today it is sold in any type of food store. It is sold in rectangular packaging with a variety of flavours such as vanilla, honey, almonds, peanits , pistachio ,hazelnuts, raisins, cocoa or covered with chocolate.
It is eaten in the Middle East, in various areas in the Mediterranean and the regional area of the Balkans as well as Poland. In Greece, the consumption of halva developed after the Asia Minor destruction who had the tradition and knew the art of creating the product.
