Sooji Halwa Recipe
Sooji Halwa is a classic Indian dessert made using semolina (sooji), ghee, sugar, and flavorings. This traditional halwa is commonly prepared during religious celebrations and festivals and is often served as prasad in North Indian homes and temples.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
To Fry Dried The Nuts And Fruits
- 5-6 cashew nuts chopped
- 5-6 almonds chopped
- 10-12 raisins
To Make The Halwa
- ½ cup ghee divided
- ½ cup fine semolina (barik sooji)
- 1 and ¾ cups water or milk
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
Fry The Dried Fruits And Nuts
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add cashew nuts and almonds to the pan and fry until they turn a light brown color.
- Add raisins to the pan and fry for just 4–5 seconds (they plump and brown quickly).
- Remove the pan from the heat and keep it aside.
Do not add raisins with almonds and cashews; otherwise, they will burn before the nuts brown.
Do not over-fry the nuts as they will keep frying from the residual heat.
Roast The Sooji
- Heat the remaining ghee (½ cup minus 1 tbsp) in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
- When the ghee is hot, add the semolina and mix well.
- Roast until it turns deep brown and emits a nutty aroma (10-12 minutes). Stir frequently to prevent the sooji from burning at the bottom of the pan. The sooji will first absorb the ghee, then slowly start to dry out and change color.
Make The Halwa
- While the sooji roasts, bring 1 and ¾ cups of water (or milk) to a boil in a separate small pot or kettle. Add hot water (or warm milk) at once while stirring continuously. Cook until all the water (or milk) is absorbed and the sooji has softened (3-4 minutes).
- Add sugar, fried nuts and fruits, and cardamom powder, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sugar melts and the ghee starts to ooze out from the sides of the pan. Stir continuously.
- Remove the pan from the heat and rest the halwa for 5 minutes. At this stage, the halwa will have a porridge-like consistency, but within 5 minutes, it will become soft and glossy.
- Transfer the sooji halwa to a serving bowl and garnish with some more slivered dry nuts and dried rose petals.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Stand back when pouring the hot water into the pan; the mixture will splutter vigorously.
Do not add the sugar until the sooji has softened well. Once you add the sugar, the semolina will stop softening.
Video
Notes
Do not skimp on ghee. Suji ka halwa recipe will not taste good when made with less ghee.
You can reduce the amount of sugar to your taste. You can also use powdered jaggery, organic brown sugar, coconut sugar, or cane sugar instead of granulated white sugar.
You can also flavor the halwa with 15-20 strands of saffron soaked in 2 tablespoons of milk.
Stick to the measurements for the best taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 0.01IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
