Sooji Ka Halwa
Suji Ka Halwa is a traditional Indian dessert prepared using fine semolina(Rava or Sooji), ghee, and sugar, laced with aromatic cardamom. Ready in under 25 minutes this easy-to-make pudding uses just a handful of pantry ingredients and is perfect for breakfast or dessert. is a traditional Indian sweet dish with semolina (suji/rava), sugar, ghee, and water.
Halwa is a common sweet dish or Indian-style sweet pudding. Semolina is known as suji/sooji or rava in India. Suji, rava, and semolina are all the same. They are called different names in different regions of our country. During the fasting period of Navratris, Sooji Halwa is specially prepared as Prasad for Aashtami puja (eighth day of Navratri) and served along with poori and kale chane. This makes sooji halwa a dessert revered in every Indian household.
What is Sooji or Rava?
Sooji or Rawa is wheat semolina. It’s a staple in Indian cooking and is used to make dishes such as Rava Idli, Upma, and Rava laddo. Sooji is available in two varieties, fine, or coarse. For Sheera I always prefer using fine sooji for a creamy consistency.
How to make Sooji Ka Halwa
Ingredients:
Sooji: Sooji is the main ingredient that makes this luscious halwa recipe. Always use a fine variety of sooji (semolina) for the smoothest halwa with a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is the sweetening agent for our yummy halwa. You may also use jaggery, organic brown sugar or cane sugar instead of granulated white sugar to make this halwa healthier.
Ghee: Ghee is also the prime ingredient that elevates the taste of this dessert. This dessert tastes best when made with a good amount of ghee. Do not make it in oil or butter.
Nuts & Dried Fruits: Add in some crushed nuts and dried fruits like pistachios, almonds, cashews, and raisins for a crunch.
Water: I have used water to make my sooji halwa recipe, you can replace water with whole Milk.
Ground Cardamom: Flavor the halwa with ground cardamom (green cardamom powder) You can also use saffron for flavouring.
How to make Suji Ka Halwa? Step by step with photo
Method:
- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat.
- When the ghee is hot, add semolina and fry till it turns light golden brown. Stir frequently to avoid the semolina from burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Add cashew nuts, almonds, and raisins.
- Fry until semolina turns nicely golden brown in colour, stirring frequently.
- Add water (or milk) and cook until all the water is absorbed and the semolina has softened (3-4 minutes). Stir continuously while cooking.
- Add sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar is melted and the ghee starts to ooze out from the sides of the pan (3-4 minutes). Stir frequently.
- Add cardamom powder and mix well.
- Remove the pan from the heat. At this stage, halwa will be of dropping consistency but within 5-10 minutes, it will become firm and grainy in texture.
- Transfer the halwa to a serving bowl and garnish with slivered dry nuts as per your choice.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
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Suggestions:
Storage Suggestions
Sooji Halwa will last in the fridge for about 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or pan until nice and warm before serving.
Serving Suggestion:
We can serve Sooji Halwa as a dessert at any time of the day or after a meal. You can serve it in a bowl, topped with slivered dry fruits. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with a hot cup of chai for a hearty breakfast, or serve it with meals as a delicious dessert.
Colour of semolina Halwa:
The colour of suji halwa may vary from cream or pale white to light brown or deep brown. This happens because of the roasting time of semolina. If the semolina is less roasted or roasted over a low flame, then the colour of the halwa is pale white. When the semolina is roasted to perfection, the colour of the halwa is deep or dark brown.
Sugar — You can adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste or health conditions.
Flavour— I have flavoured this Suji ka halwa with cardamoms, but you can also flavour it with saffron or rose water.
Milk: For softness, you can add Milk instead of water, Milk adds softness and creaminess to our halwa prasad.
Temperature: Always add hot milk or water only. Never add cold or room-temperature milk.
Roasting the semolina is an important step.
Colour: The colour of the halwa will depend on how deeply you have roasted the semolina. If you like light-coloured halwa, roast it less, and if you like dark-coloured halwa, roast the semolina more.
For an extra creamy texture: For the perfect melt-in-the-mouth texture, add more cream or half-and-half cream and milk.
Nuts and dry fruits: You can add finely chopped nuts and dry fruits like cashews, almonds, raisins, desiccated coconut, etc., to the Sooji Halwa – Ashtami Prasad.
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For more recipes from this blog you might like please check:
Makhana Kheer
Sabudana Kheer
Makhana Raita
Yes, you can use unsalted butter to make halwa.
To reduce excess liquid from suji halwa, let it simmer over low heat for 5 –10 minutes without covering. Stir at regular intervals. After a few minutes, the excess moisture evaporates.
Sooji Ka Halwa | Rava Sheera | suji halwa-Navratri Special
Materials
- 1.5 cups warm milk/water
- ½ cup ghee
- ½ cup semolina rava or semolina
- 1 tablespoon cashews halved/chopped
- 1 tablespoon almonds halved/chopped
- 5 unsalted pistachios halved/chopped
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- ½ cup sugar or as per taste
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat.
- When the ghee is hot, add semolina and fry till it turns light golden brown. Stir frequently to avoid the semolina from burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Add cashew nuts, almonds, and raisins.
- Fry until semolina turns nicely golden brown in color, stirring frequently.
- Add water (or milk) and cook until all the water is absorbed and the semolina has softened (3-4 minutes). Stir continuously while cooking.
- Add sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar is melted and the ghee starts to ooze out from the sides of the pan (3-4 minutes). Stir frequently.
- Add cardamom powder and mix well.
- Remove the pan from the heat. At this stage, halwa will be of dropping porridge-like consistency but within 5-10 minutes, it will become firm and grainy in texture.
- Transfer the halwa to a serving bowl and garnish with slivered dry nuts as per your choice.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- The colour of the halwa will depend on how deeply you have roasted the semolina. If you like light-coloured halwa, roast it less, and if you like dark-coloured halwa, roast the semolina more.
- Mixing semolina in hot ghee is a must. In this way, the semolina will swell well and its texture will become fluffy. Therefore, to make semolina rise properly, always add semolina to hot ghee. Never add rava to hot or room-temperature ghee.
- To get the best texture of sheera, roast the semolina while stirring continuously until it becomes light, puffy, slightly golden and aromatic.
Keep the flame low-medium. If you have kept the flame medium to high, then the semolina will take colour quickly without being roasted properly.
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