Sooji Halwa – Semolina Pudding Recipe, How to make Sooji Halwa – Semolina Pudding

Sooji Halwa – Semolina Pudding Recipe with step by step photos and easy to follow instructions:

Sooji Halwa – Semolina Pudding… I don’t know any one person who would not die for Sooji halwa. Sooji Halwa is quick, easy and absolutely delicious halwa which is made more often in Indian homes. Sooji Halwa is not only served as dessert but also as a tea accompaniment with the afternoon tea. I remember in India, whenever we will have guests in the house, the first thing made to serve them with tea was Sooji Halwa. The delicate clouds of semolina fried in fragrant butter with chewy raisins and crunch of sliced almonds are like a dance of textures and flavors in your mouth.

Sometimes saffron or yellow color is added to the Sooji Halwa to give it a yellow hue. I personally like to keep it to the natural color (pinkish) of semolina and avoid adding any unnecessary additives.

Sooji Halwa is also a festive dish; it is served on many religious days in temples in India and at home as well. I have had the opportunity to taste the Ashtami Prasad on a few occasions. It is a wonderful combination of salty Kala Channa (brown chickpea), sweet Sooji Halwa and Poori (deep fried leavened bread).

Well, you don’t have to wait for a religious day to make Sooji Halwa. Go get the ingredients and let’s get cooking…

How to make Sooji Halwa:

1. Measure and prepare all the ingredients beforehand. Keep all the ingredients nearby. Once you started to fry the sooji with butter, it is important that you stir it constantly until roasted. Do not leave it unattended as it is very easy to burn the sooji at the bottom of the pan. If you ever happen to burn the sooji, just throw it out and start from the beginning with a new batch. The burnt sooji has a bitter taste and unpleasant smoky smell.
2. In a small saucepan, add the water and sugar; cook it until sugar is completely dissolved. Keep the cooked syrup on low heat. Ensure that the syrup stays warm.
3. In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, heat butter or ghee (clarified butter). I personally like to use unsalted butter, you can use ghee if you prefer that. Add sooji (semolina) and cook it on medium low heat stirring constantly until the color of the sooji changes to light pink. Initially, the mixture will be foamy with butter but once the sooji started to roast, the foam will settle down. So don’t worry about the foam.
         
4. Once the sooji changes its color, gently and carefully add the sugar syrup from the side of the saucepan. Do not pour all the syrup at once, pour a little at time. The mixture will splatter (use a spoon with a long handle to protect your hands from hot splash). Keep stirring the halwa gently and slowly. Initially, the halwa will be very watery but it will thicken as it will cook further. While the halwa is still a little bit runny, add raisin and cardamom powder; stir well. Remove the sooji halwa from the heat. The halwa will thicken once it cools down.
         
5. Transfer the sooji halwa into a serving dish. Garnish with nuts. Enjoy and I would love to hear from you how it turned out.
   
   Sooji Halwa - Semolina Pudding

    

   

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   Prep time

   5

   Cook time

   20

   Total time

   25

    

   Cloud of perfectly blended semolina, butter and sugar is easy to make dessert at any day of the week.

   Author: Raj Brar

   Recipe type: Dessert

   Cuisine: Indian

   Serves: 4-5 servings

   Ingredients

   • ¾ cup sooji (semolina)
   • ½ cup unsalted butter or ghee (clarified butter)
   • ¾ cup sugar
   • 3 cups water
   • 2 tbsp golden or green raisins, chopped
   • 2 tbsp pistachio nuts, chopped
   • 2 tbsp sliced almonds
   • ¼ tsp green cardamom powder

   Instructions

   1. In a medium saucepan, cook sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved. Turn down the heat to low. Keep the sugar syrup warm.
   2. In another medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add sooji and turn the heat to medium-low.
   3. Cook sooji, stirring constantly until the color changes to light pink and it starts to release nice aroma about 15 minutes.
   4. Carefully add the sugar syrup to the sooji mixture. The mixture will splatter when syrup is added. It is a good idea to use a spoon with the longer handle to stir the halwa.
   5. Constantly but gently stir the halwa until the syrup has been absorbed and halwa has thickened. The mixture will be very thin initially but it will thicken once cooked.
   6. Add raisins, half of nuts and green cardamom powder to the halwa. Mix well.
   7. Transfer halwa to a serving dish. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on the halwa.
   8. Serve warm.

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