Cultural Candy

A box of halwa and generational love

By: Rusham Verma, SFU Student It’s summer vacation. I’m only 12 years old and my maternal grandmother’s house is infused with the nostalgic smell of halwa made with atta — halwa is a smooth and velvety dessert, similar in consistency to a pudding, made by roasting atta (wheat flour), ghee, and sugar. I’m playing outside in the garden, surrounded by the beautiful flowers my grandmother has grown, taking in their fragrance with a hint of roasted flour from the kitchen. “Laddo, come here! It’s ready!” says my mom from the inside, and just as I open the door, the strong…

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