It’s been a little long of a break in putting up more delicious
recipes for the foodies. So, now coming up with one more delicious recipe,
which is a traditional dish Sooji (Semolina) Ka Halwa.
Halwa is served in the Indian Subcontinent and also in
various different versions in Eastern Mediterranean & Eastern European
countries. It can be made with numerous ingredients. But, most commonly it is
made with semolina, sugar (or other sweetener) and ghee (clarified butter) or
vegetable oil as primary ingredients. Depending on the place & culture,
different dry fruits or dates are added as garnishing.
It’s my favorite dish to have for breakfast or dessert or simply
whenever I have a sweet tooth. This traditional dish is In India it’s a mom’s
recipe, almost everyone in India is aware of this dish. And it’s made on all
and any occasion. It is also made as Prasad (Holy offering) for Satyanarayan
Pooja.
The specialty of Sooji ka Halwa is it rises 4 times from the
original quantity (of sooji). It is easy & quick to cook and it tastes
heavenly.
Sooji (Semolina) ka
Halwa
Prep Time: 5 Mins
Cook Time: 25
Mins
Serving: 4
Calories: 200 / Serving
Ingredients:
1 cup coarse Semolina / Sooji (Suji)
1 cup Ghee / Clarified Butter
1-¼ cup Sugar
4 cup Milk / Water (I prefer Milk)
1 tbsp. Warm Milk (to soak the saffron)
¼ tsp. Cardamom Powder
¼ tsp. Nutmeg Powder
1 tbsp. Raisins
1 tbsp. Sliced Almonds
10 – 12 hair / pinch of Saffron
Method:
In a bowl, add saffron to warm milk. Now on a stove, heat a
non-stick pot and heat the milk till it comes to boil once. You can also boil
the milk in a microwave. On another
stove, heat a nonstick pan and add ghee / clarified butter and as it melts add
sooji to it. Roast the sooji by stirring continuously with spatula till its
color changes to pink. Note that as you add sooji and start stirring, it will
get harder or tougher to move the spatula. Once the sooji is roasted, it will start
getting easier to move the spatula and the ghee will begin to release.
Meanwhile, the milk must have come to boil. Now add the milk to roasted sooji
and increase the heat and let the milk mix (seep) into the sooji. As the milk seeps
in, the quantity of the sooji would rise to about 4 times the original measure
of sooji. Once the milk evaporates, make sure to reduce heat to medium and add Raisins
& Sugar to it. Stir it constantly and roast it for 4-5mins till the ghee
start releasing. Now add the milk with saffron to it and stir well. You can
press a spoon or straight spatula in the Halwa to check if it’s ready. If it spatula stays firm or stand still
without falling, Halwa is ready. Turn off the stove and add cardamom &
nutmeg powder to it. Mix again and garnish it with sliced almonds and
pistachios.
Note 1: As mentioned you can add water or 2% Milk also to
Halwa instead of regular milk.
Note 2: As seen in
pictures I have added saffron straight into the milk while boiling it, instead
of adding the saffron at last.
Note 3: Be very careful while adding milk to the sooji as it
will splatter and is likely to cause a burn to your skin instantly upon
contact, if you are not careful to avoid it.
