Sooji Halwa (semolina Halwa)

Sooji halwa (semolina halwa) or suji is the most well-known dessert in Pakistan and India. This traditional dessert is served for breakfast on holiday mornings. It has four to five ingredients. This delicious dessert (halwa) will be served in just 20 minutes! Its mouth-melting smoothness complements the scent of cardamom seeds well.

In my family, everyone loves sooji ka halwa on Sunday morning with fried bread poori. Sooji ka halwa pairs best with poori. The Lahori people especially cherish this traditional breakfast in Pakistan. This recipe includes sooji (semolina), water, white sugar, and ghee or butter. Nuts are my favorite part of making this recipe.

What is sooji ka halwa?

People say that halwa originated from the Middle East, and the word comes from Arabic, meaning “sweet” and referring to a confectionery. Chefs make Pakistani halwa by roasting semolina or lentil flour in ghee or butter and cooking it with water or milk. They sweeten it with sugar and aromatize it with cardamom seeds.

Some like it runny, while others prefer a harder texture. I enjoy a bit of a firm texture. Once you finish making halwa, garnish it with nuts like almonds, raisins, and cashews.

In Pakistani cuisine, we generally make sooji ka halwa, or semolina halwa, using fine semolina. Some people prefer bright halwa, like orange or yellow color, while others prefer plain halwa. It is a popular dessert in villages and at weddings also.

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Ingredients and Their Substitutions

Semolina

To make sooji ka halwa, use finely textured semolina. I recommend sieving before using it to avoid extraneous particles. Semolina is readily available in the market. Therefore feel free to use any brand or simply market available semolina.

Ghee/Butter

For roasting of semolina (sooji), I use good-grade banaspati ghee. You can also use butter for this purpose; however, I prefer to use ghee that smells excellent instead of butter because this dish pairs well with ghee.

Spices

Cardamom seeds are the core ingredients for generating aroma and flavoring for this halwa recipe. But feel free to use other spices like nutmeg or rose water for flavoring.

Sweetener

I used white sugar syrup (sugar and water with cardamom seeds) to sweeten the halwa. Another great way to sweeten halwa is using jaggery, albeit the color of the halwa will vary depending on the sweetener used. The color of the halwa is denser when jaggery is used. If you like a simple tint, use white sugar alone.

water

The amount of water used determines the texture. You can use as little as 3 cups of water to make it more grainy and suitable for eating alone. Use up to 4 cups of water to make softer and thicker halwa, similar to the one used for ‘halwa poori’. The recipe calls for 2.5 cups, a convenient play medium.

Nuts and Raisins

I used half-sliced almonds for garnishing because my family cherished it so much. Although cashews and raisins can also be used.

Tips to Remember

In Pakistan and India, people regard sooji ka halwa as the most convenient dessert. However, my initial attempt at making this recipe was a bad disaster. I was unsure how to properly blend all the ingredients to create the best grainy textured halwa. It took me multiple attempts to create this ideal traditional recipe.

Keep stirring

Stirring is the main instruction while making halwa. Thereupon You need to stir constantly, seriously.

Roasting of Semolina

Firstly, Semolina must be roasted over a low flame with constant stirring; otherwise, it may burn from the pot’s corners. The color of the semolina will change once it is finished. So Yes! You need to be patient while roasting semolina.

Boil Water and Sugar

Here, You need to notice that Water and sugar will be boiled together until the sugar melts. You do not need to thicken that sugar syrup. Once the roasting of semolina is done cook semolina (sooji) in that sugar syrup.

Usage of Ghee/Butter

Do not stint on butter or ghee. They contain natural goodness and good fats proven by the ancients. However, the amount in this recipe is actually on the smaller side.

Traditional Taste

Always use fine semolina to achieve a classic taste.

More easy breakfast recipes

• Easy Mango Pancake
• Chicken Mayonnaise Sandwich recipe

How to make Sooji ka halwa (semolina halwa)

Preparation

1. Measure all the required Ingredients for making sooji k halwa

• 1 cup of semolina (sooji, suji) 160 grams
• 1/2 cup of ghee/butter (add 2-3 tbsp if needed more)
• 1 cup of sugar (almost 150-165 grams )
• cardamom seeds (2-3 pieces)
• Almonds (3-4 half sliced)
• water 3 cups for making sugar syrup

2. Take a heavy-based pot add ghee, and heat it. Add semolina and roast it on low to medium flame until its color changes to light brown. Keep stirring while cooking. Roasting will take almost 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar with the cardamom seeds. Boil them together. Set aside once the sugar has melted.

4. Once the sooji has finished cooking and grown aromatic, add the pre-prepared sugar syrup. Set the flame to medium. Continue stirring slowly.

5. The sugar syrup will gradually evaporate once the sooji is cooked in sugar syrup. It becomes soft and fluffy slowly.

6. Soft, fluffy semolina halwa is ready. Garnish with half-sliced almonds.

If you enjoy this recipe, then comment your views.

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