helva Romania and Moldova[edit] In Romania and Moldova, the term halva is used to refer to a sunflower-based blo ck confection

sometimes containing pistachios, almonds or chocolate. In the Repu blic of Moldova, it is mostly referred to as halva de rasarita; in Romania, it i s known as halva de floarea soarelui. Russia, Belarus and Ukraine[edit] Halva (?????) came to Russia from Central Asia. Halva-containing bars, cakes, or waffles (with or without chocolate, nuts or seeds) are now widespread. Serbia[edit] Halva, called alva (????) in Serbian, is common to the whole region. Alva is a t ypical sweet in local church fairs around Serbia. Also, sesame-based halva impor ted from Greece or the Republic of Macedonia is common in Serbian supermarkets. Slovenia[edit] Halva, called helava in Slovene, is a sweet rarely consumed in Slovenia. It was popular when Slovenia had contact with the Ottoman Empire. Slovenes mostly eat i t while drinking morning or afternoon Turkish coffee but it is not really widely spread.[citation needed] Somalia[edit]

Xalwo, the Somali version of halva, is a staple of Somali cuisine. In Somalia, halva is known as xalwo (halwo). A staple of Somali cuisine, it is a popular confection served during special occasions, such as Eid celebrations or wedding receptions. Xalwo is made from sugar, cornstarch, cardamom powder, nutm eg powder and ghee. Peanuts are sometimes added to enhance texture and flavor.[1 5] Sri Lanka[edit] Halva, called aluva in Sinhalese, is a typical sweet specially made for the trad itional Sri Lankan New Year festival (Sinhala and Hindu Aluth Awurudda) in April . It is often made from rice flour, either with sugar (seeni aluwa) or treacle ( pani aluwa). Cashew nuts are added for extra taste. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan[edit] Soft sesame halva is made from sugar syrup, egg whites, and sesame seeds. Solid sesame halva is made from pulled sugar, repeatedly stretched to give a white col our; prepared sesame is added to the warm sugar and formed on big trays. In Taji kistan, as well as in Uzbekistan, the local name is lavz (????).[16] Turkey[edit]

Helva at an Istiklal Caddesi storefront in Turkey

The term helva is used by Turkish people, to describe tahin (crushed sesame seed s), flour, or semolina halva, called tahin helvasi, un helvasi, and irmik helvas i, respectively. Yaz helvasi is made of almond or walnut. Semolina halva (garnis hed with pine nuts) has a cultural significance in Turkish folk religion[citatio n needed] and is the most common type. Traditionally, halva prepared with flour (un helvasi) is cooked and served upon the death of a person. In addition, some sweets and desserts are also called helva, such as pamuk helva or koz helva, a s weet-like dessert which is widespread in Turkey. In Safranbolu, koz helva is als o called "leaf-halva". Armenian halva is inspired by this Turkish version. Assyr ians also consume Turkish halva as a traditional dessert. United States[edit] In the USA, it is found in ethnic Indian, Jewish, Argentine, and Middle Eastern stores. Besides being imported from the Middle East or India (or Mantecol import ed into Argentine stores), one can find the version manufactured in the US by Jo yva in Brooklyn. Cultural references[edit] In Afghanistan, Turkey and Iran, after the burial ceremony, on the seventh and f ortieth day following the death of a Muslim, and also on the first anniversary, semolina helva or flour helva is cooked and offered to visitors and neighbours b y relatives of the deceased. For this reason, flour (un) helva is also called in Turkish l helvasi, meaning "helva of the dead". The expression "roasting the helv a of someone" suggests the person referred to died some time ago.

Halva on display in Samarkand, Uzbekistan The Greek saying Ante re halva! ("??te ?e ?a??!" could be translated as "get lost , halva") is used when the speaker wants to offend someone, usually a man, by ca lling him a coward and/or chubby. Another saying, dating from the period of Otto man domination, states "??a????? ?a???, t???????? ?a???" (roughly translated as "A fight among Greeks is halva to Turks"). In Egypt, it is believed, as it has often been portrayed in literature and media , within the incarcerated community, halawa is a prized item commonly offered to inmates by visiting family members. This has led to the exploitation of this cu ltural phenomenon by a local halawa manufacturer in a recent advertising campaig n.[17] In Bosnia and Herzegovina (and also, to a lesser extent, Croatia, Slovenia (Styr ian part of the country) and Serbia), the phrase "ide / prodaje se kao halva" or Styrian dialect of Slovene "re ko' alva" ("sells like halva") is a colloquial e xpression denoting a product's sales are very high, similar to the English expre ssion "sells like hotcakes" or the German expression "verkauft sich wie warme Se mmeln" ("sells like hot bread rolls"). Recurring references to halvah have been made in Mad magazine over the years. Allan Sherman's song "The Streets of Miami", a Jewish-centered parody of "The St reets of Laredo" contains the line, "I shot and Sam crumbled / Just like a piece halvah..."