Sooji Ka Halwa

Sooji halwa is a popular North Indian dessert made with basic ingredients like sooji (semolina), ghee (clarified butter), sugar & cardamom. It is simple to make, vegetarian and great as quick dessert.

Suji halwa is know by various names like ‘Suji ka Sheera’, ‘Rava Halwa’ or ‘Rava Sheera’. This humble comforting dessert does not need any fancy ingredients, takes barely 15 minutes of time and is an absolute delight for the taste buds.

The flavour of this semolina pudding is enhanced by addition of aromatic cardamom and crunchy nuts, dry fruits like almonds, cashews, pistachios and raisins. The sooji halva recipe shared here is:

• Vegetarian
• Easy & quick to make
• Made with just 4 ingredients

This halwa is especially made at my home during Navratri (Ashtami) festival as prasad with Poori and Sookhe Kaale Chane. It is even a perfect dessert option for large gatherings or potlucks as it is easy to serve and can me made in advance.

Ingredients for sooji halwa:

Semolina: It is pale yellow coloured coarse flour made from durum wheat and is also known as sooji, suji or rava. It is used in various sweet and savoury recipes like idli, upma or laddo etc.

Ghee: It is type of clarified butter and one of the most common types of fat used in Indian cooking. It gives a nice warm sweet aroma to the halwa and makes it moist & soft.

Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is used as sweetener in sooji halwa. You can adjust its quantity as per you taste.

Dry fruits: Nuts like almonds, cashews, pistachios add crunchy nutty texture. Adding raisin during the cooking make them plump and juicy which enhances the taste of halwa so much. My husband loves raisins in it, so I always add them but if you wish you can skip them also.

Green Cardamom: It adds sweet aroma to the halva and should be added towards the end of cooking. You can use store bought cardamom powder or peel whole cardamoms and grind its black seeds in mortar pestle to make fresh cardamom powder.

The trick to make perfect moist sooji halwa is follow the correct proportions for sooji, ghee and water and not to overcook it. Instead of measuring cups, you can use regular food bowls but keep the ratios same as mentioned in the ingredients.

Variations:

1. Instead of water, you can use milk or whole milk for creamier and softer texture.
2. To give a lovely aroma & golden yellow colour to halwa, you can use saffron strands. Dissolve 10-15 strands in 2 tbsp warm milk and add it after adding water. (This version is also referred to as Rava Kesari)

More Indian dessert recipes:

• Gajar Halwa
• Lauki Halwa
• Sama Rice Kheer
• Makhane ki Kheer

Ingredients: (Serves 5-6)

• Semolina (Sooji)- 1 cup
• Desi ghee- 3/4th cup
• Sugar- 1 and 1/4 cup
• Water- 4 cups
• Cashews (chopped)- 1/8 cup
• Almonds (chopped)- 1/8 cup
• Raisins- 15 to 20
• Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp

Directions:

Step 1: Add ghee to a pan on medium heat. When it becomes warm add sooji to it and roast on low flame till it becomes golden brown.

Step 2: Add water and sugar to the roasted sooji. Increase the flame.Stir well so that no lumps are formed.

Add cashews, raisins and cardamom powder. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: As the halwa leaves the sides of the cooking pan, switch off the gas. Garnish with some more chopped almonds, raisins and serve.

Tip: Though sooji halwa tastes best when enjoyed fresh and warm but if there are any leftovers you can store them in fridge in an airtight container. To reheat it, add a splash of water and microwave for 30-40 seconds.

If you try this sooji halwa recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.

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(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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