Suji ka Halwa Recipe- Semolina Pudding
This Suji ka Halwa recipe (Semolina Pudding) is one of those desserts that I used to eat for lunch. Seriously, it was that addictive! Not only is it simple to make, it’s a delectable treat that you can devour at any time of the day.
In India, people usually call semolina by a different name. They use ‘Suji’ in both sweet and savoury dishes and has many uses. The key to a great semolina pudding in taking the time to lightly brown the semolina. This can take up to 10 minutes on high heat, though you have to keep stirring it to avoid it burning.
There are many types of desserts in India. Examples include Carrot Halwa (pudding), Laddoos (round, ball-shaped sweets), barfi (cashew flavoured sweets) and jalebis (deep-fried flour batter). While some of them are a little more complex, this Suji ka Halwa recipe is a great place to begin!
A major component of this dessert is green cardamom. (Elaichi-the inspiration for my blog name!) This whole spice can be comparable to vanilla extract in Western cuisine and Indians like to add it to their tea (chai) to enhance its taste.
I love to top this with roughly chopped almonds and pistachios because it provides an extra crunch to an otherwise smooth texture. However, if you do suffer from nut allergies, feel free to omit this step.
Suji ka Halwa
Ingredients
- 1 cup semolina
- ½ cup desi ghee or regular unsalted butter
- 1½ cup sugar
- 4 cups water
- 4 green cardamoms split
- 2 tbsp almonds (skip if you have a nut allergy)
- 2 tbsp pistachios (skip if you have a nut allergy)
Instructions
- In a pan, pour in the water and add the sugar. Stir well and bring to a boil on high heat.
- When you see the syrup mixture bubbling, remove from the heat and set aside. It doesn't need to be thick but all the sugar must be dissolved.
- In another pan, melt the ghee/butter on high heat and once it is melted, add in the semolina.
- Stir constantly and toast the semolina until it's a light golden brown. (5-10 minutes)
- Once the semolina is lightly browned, add the syrup. Turn down the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Once the mixture thickens and reaches a more pudding-like consistency, turn off the heat and transfer to a serving dish.
- Flatten out the pudding and split the green cardamoms in half with a knife. Roughly chop the almonds and sprinkle over the top as a garnish.
- Enjoy!
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