Sooji ka Halwa is a rich and delicious classic Indian dessert recipe made with semolina (sooji), ghee, sugar, and nuts. It is often served during festivals or special occasions.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup ghee ((can be reduced to 1/4 cup))
  • 1/2 cup sooji (semolina) (fine variety)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 pinch saffron strands
  • 1 tablespoon milk ((to soak saffron))
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 2-3 tablespoons cashews
  • 2 tablespoons raisins

Method

  1. Soak 1 pinch of saffron strands in 1 tablespoon of warm milk for at least 15 minutes. Keep aside. Heat a heavy-bottomed kadai over medium heat. Add ½ cup of ghee and allow it to melt. You can also reduce the ghee to ¼ cup.
  2. Add the cashews, and roast until it turns light golden brown. Then add raisins and saute until they plump up. Then remove the nuts and store them aside.
  3. Add the sooji (semolina) to the kadai and roast it on medium-low flame. Stir constantly until sooji starts to change the color and is fragrant, this will take about 5 to 8 minutes. Note: I personally don't like to brown my sooji to golden brown color. If you want to prepare a darker color halwa or Navratri-style sooji ka halwa, then roast the sooji till it reaches darker color.
  4. Meanwhile, Boil the water in a separate pan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil and Set aside.
  5. Once the sooji is nicely roasted, carefully pour the boiling water into the sooji.
  6. Turn down the heat to medium-low and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes to ensure no lumps are formed. Cook for another minute until all the liquid is absorbed and the semolina is cooked well.
  7. Add the saffron milk (optional), and sugar to the kadai. Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
  8. Stir for another 2-3 minutes until the halwa thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.
  9. Add the cardamom powder, roasted cashews, and raisins to the halwa mixture. Mix well. Enjoy it hot or warm.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.