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Sooji Halwa
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Sooji Halwa

Sooji halwa is a sweet from India prepared with semolina and milk, which is eaten for breakfast or which accompanies a meal.

Servings: 4 people
Calories: 581 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup ghee , + 1 tablespoon for finishing
  • 1 cup sooji , fine durum wheat semolina
  • 1 cup sugar preferably cane sugar, granulated white
  • 2 cups milk (or 1 cup / 250 ml milk and 1 cup / 250 ml water)
  • 6 cardamom pods peeled and powdered
  • ½ oz. almonds or cashews, skinless, chopped
  • ½ oz. raisins
  • ¼ teaspoon saffron or water, optional, soaked in 1 tablespoon hot milk

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat a heavy-based pan or wok with ¾ cup (200 ml) of ghee.
  2. When the ghee is hot, add the semolina, lower the heat, and roast the semolina using a spatula to keep turning over and stirring. Scrape the edges often to prevent burning.
  3. Take another pan with a long handle, and heat the sugar and the milk in it till the sugar is dissolved and the milk comes to a simmer. Stir it off and on to avoid skin forming. Keep it hot on the lowest flame.
  4. After about 10 minutes the semolina turns beige and smells nutty.
  5. Slowly add the hot milk to the semolina stirring vigorously with the spatula or use a whisk to avoid lumps from forming. Watch out, it does splutter sometimes.
  6. When all the milk is incorporated and the mixture is smooth like porridge, cover, and steam for 3 to 4 minutes. Keep the flame at the lowest.
  7. In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee and fry the nuts to a light golden.
  8. Add the raisins and fry them for a few seconds.
  9. Add the fried nuts and raisins with the ghee to the sooji, also cardamom powder, and saffron (optional).
  10. Mix through, and break up any lumps.
  11. Turn off the stove, cover the sooji and let rest for 5 minutes for the flavors to develop.
  12. Serve warm.

Notes

  • While roasting the semolina, after 3 to 4 mins. add half a banana that is ripe with brown spots. Chop the banana vertically in quarters, then into very fine slices. Continue roasting the semolina as per the recipe. This adds moistness to the sooji and a burst of flavor.