SOOJI HALWA (SEMOLINA DESSERT)

Scrumptious Sooji Halwa is the quick and easiest Indian Dessert made with just 4 ingredients sooji( semolina ), ghee(clarified butter ), sugar, and water.

This is one of that comfort dessert which just perfect for various festive occasions and religious functions.

What is Halwa ?

For those who are new to Halwa, let me tell you it is a rich, luscious dessert made with one main carb-rich ingredient from flour to pulses along with ghee, sugar, and water/milk(sometimes both). Cardamom, saffron is added as flavoring agents and finally, halwa is garnished with nuts.

A few to name are Gajar Halwa , Aata Halwa, Moong Dal halwa, Besan Halwa, Badam Halwa and the list goes on.

What is Sooji Halwa? When is it made?

As mentioned above Sooji Halwa is made of semolina, ghee, sugar, and water in which a simple ratio of 1:1:1:3 is followed, equal parts of semolina, ghee, sugar, and three parts of water is used.

It is a simple dessert that gets ready in no time with few ingredients easily available in the pantry.

Navratri is a Nine-day long festive period observed by Hindus in which nine different avatars of Goddess Durga are worshipped with zeal and enthusiasm. The eighth-day Ashtami and ninth-day Navmi are the most auspicious days.

Today being the eighth-day Ashtami, I am celebrating it by making this recipe, Sooji Halwa as a prasad to offer to Goddess Durga. Sooji Halwa is paired with puri and kale channe that completes the prasad thali.

How can you make the best sooji halwa?

The most important is to follow the simple ratio.....................................

1(semolina) : 1(ghee) : 1(sugar) : 3(water) ratio

You may think it is a lot of ghee and sugar that goes in but believe me it the just right way to make Sooji Halwa. If you want lightly sweetened halwa you can reduce the amount of sugar to a little.

Another important step is to roast semolina in ghee. Roast the semolina on low flame for 8 to 10 minutes till it turns nice golden in color and fills your kitchen with a nice aroma. Keep stirring it continuously for a uniform golden color. Roasting on medium to high flame quickens the process but it gives a raw taste to halwa. So please please, roast it on low flame stirring continuously.

Add the liquid in parts, This is the trick to nice grainy Halwa. Follow it you will never get lumpy Halwa. Roast the semolina, add only two parts of water, add sugar, nuts, and cardamom and let all water evaporate from halwa then add the remaining third part of the water, let halwa be on the lowest flame for another few minutes then switch off the flame. Now keep halwa covered for another 10 minutes with the flame off. Open the cover/lid, give a nice stir to get nice fluffy, grainy yet moist halwa.

Cuisine : Indian

Course : Dessert

Prep time : 5 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Servings : 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup semolina/sooji

• 1/2 Cup ghee

• 1/2 Cup sugar

• 1 + 1/2 Cup water

• 4,5 Almond sliced

• 4.5 Cashew broken into pieces

• 10-12 Raisins

• 3,4 Cardamom pods(remove the skin, coarsely crush the seeds)

• Nuts and dried rose petals to garnish(optional)

Instructions

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and roast the almond, cashew, and raisins. Transfer the roasted nuts and raisins to another bowl and keep it aside.

2. In the same pan add ghee, when it is slightly warm add semolina and roast it on low flame for around 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Keep stirring continuously.

3. When the semolina gets nice golden color add 1 cup of water to it. Be careful while adding water as the mixture splutters a lot. Keep stirring.

4. When sooji/semolina absorbs all the water add sugar to it.

5. The sugar will melt and make halwa runny, now add the roasted nuts and raisins and keep stirring till the halwa comes together leaving the sides of the pan.

6. Add the reaming half cup of water to halwa, simmer for a couple of minutes and switch off the flame.

7. Cover the pan with a lid and let halwa cook in its own steam for at least 10 minutes.

8. Open the lid, transfer in serving bowls, garnish with nuts and rose petals.

Serve hot.

SOOJI HALWA...................MY ASHTAMI PRASAD

If you like this sooji halwa, you may also like Atta Halwa/Kada Prasad

If you’ve tried this Sooji Halwa Recipe then do mention in comments how it came out. I would love to hear from you.

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