Sooji Halwa: The Sweet Pudding of Semolina

Sooji halwa is all time favorite sweet in Northern parts of India. In south India it is called as rava pongal or  kesari rava when color is mixed. Halwa gets its name from its procedure of cooking which takes long time of stirring the semolina in butter. Stirring is called halawa in hindi and thus came the name halwa. This recipe takes about 30 minutes to cook. However if the quantity is more it may take one hour or sometimes 2 hours (if you are cooking for a huge program). I am showing pineapple flavor halwa here. In place of pineapple you can have mango flavor halwa or vanilla flavor halwa as well.

Ingredients for halwa are:

• Sooji or Semolina - 1 and ½ cups
• Unsalted Butter – 1 cup
• Sugar – 2 cups
• Cardamom power – ¼ tsp
• Pineapple chunks – ½ can
• Raisins – ½ cup
• Water 4 cups

1. Take heavy bottomed pan and melt unsalted butter first over a low flame. When the butter is melted and warm enough add semolina and mix it properly.
2. Keep sitting the till butter oozes out and semolina is covered totally with butter. Now make the heat medium and keep sitting.
3. Stirring the halwa is essential part of cooking halwa. It takes time for semolina to change from white to wheat color. Stirring properly gives uniform color to the semolina. Stir about 15 minutes. More the quantity, the more time you need to stir.
4. When semolina is nearing to wheatish add raisins and cardamom powder. Raisins should change color when stirred in the hot butter of semolina.
5. Now add pine apple chunks and sugar. Mix properly and stir it for 5 minutes.
6. Now add water. Best is to add hot water. So you can heat water simultaneously in another pot and add.
7. Mix properly and let it cook for few minutes. Let the sooji absorb all the water. Halwa is done. Offer to lord and enjoy!

Serves: 4 to 6

Tips

Alternately, you can add mango chunks or mango puree in place of pineapples.  You can also add few drops of vanilla essence when the sooji becomes wheatish.

If you like to make Kesari rava sweet, then use less butter and add color kesar before adding water to the stirred rava. The rava may or may not be so wheatish in case of kesar rava sweet.