Hoodia Latina

In winter, a bunch of spiny green leaves hangs from Shereen Bhawan near Chitli Qabar Chowk. For the gourmands of old Delhi, it is an invite to sink their sweet teeth into a rare culinary transformation—aloe vera halwa. The bitter herb, a common ingredient in cosmetics, is cooked in milk, ghee and dry fruits to make ghee kawaar ka halwa.

Shereen Bhawan, famous for its gaajar ka halwa made of white carrots, is the only shop in Delhi where you will find aloe vera halwa. “This is actually a hakeemi nuskha (a medicinal formula) and was given to our grandfather by a hakeem,” says Alauddin, whose family runs the shop and has been manufacturing sweets for 50 years now. “This is good for joints. We make it only in winter because it is too heavy and warm to be digested in summer.” The delicacy is available in December and January and made only on order. The price is steep—Rs 500 for a kilo though there is a variety for Rs 200 a kilo that has less of the good stuff.

Besides being soothing on the skin, aloe vera has medicinal uses. “Hamdard makes an aphrodisiac of it, but they can’t do anything about the strong bitter taste that it has.”