Sooji Halwa / Rava Sheera / Suji Ka Halwa
This Sooji Halwa is soft, luscious, melt-in-the-mouth, and absolutely delicious! It is a popular Indian dessert that can be enjoyed during any festival, celebration, breakfast, or after-meal dessert.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100g) fine semolina (Rava / Sooji)
- ⅓ cup (65g) ghee
- ¾ cup (180ml) milk
- ¾ cup (180ml) water
- ½ cup (100g) sugar (or add 80g sugar for less sweetened Halwa)
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon saffron strands
- 2 tablespoon chopped almonds
- Chopped almonds for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, mix milk and water, and add saffron. Stir well and heat until the mixture is moderately hot. Turn off the heat and keep it aside.
- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and add semolina. Stir well and roast semolina on low-medium heat.
- Roast the semolina until golden brown and fragrant, stirring continuously. It will take 6-8 minutes, and you will see some ghee being released. Also, the mixture will become light and fluffy.
- Do not roast the semolina on high heat and stir continuously; otherwise, the semolina will be burnt.
- Once the semolina is roasted, add almonds and continue roasting for another two minutes on low-medium heat.
- Add milk mixture carefully, stirring everything continuously while pouring the liquid to avoid lump formation.
- Continue cooking until the semolina absorbs all the liquid; it will take about two minutes.
- Add sugar and cardamom powder, and mix well. Continue stirring until the mixture gets thicker.
- The Halwa is ready when the mixture becomes thick, stops sticking to the pan, and ghee oozes from the sides.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the Halwa to the serving bowl. Garnish it with chopped almonds and serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve Suji Ka Halwa hot or warm. You can also serve it at room temperature if you want.
- This dessert tastes delicious on its own and does not need any accompaniment.
- Serve this Halwa with lunch or dinner and convert your regular meal into a festive meal.
- You can have this dessert for your weekend breakfast or brunch with your family.
Storing Suggestions
- Store the leftover Sooji Halwa in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Reheat the dessert in the microwave. Or reheat in a pan over low heat.
Notes
- Sooji (Semolina): I have used fine semolina for this recipe. Fine Suji makes the Sheera creamier, smooth, and fluffy. And coarse semolina gives a grainy texture to the Halwa, but the taste will be the same. So use fine or coarse semolina to your preference. Also, It is essential to roast Rava properly for the best texture and to remove the rawness.
- Sugar: I have used cane sugar, but you can add regular white sugar. Also, add less sugar for mildly sweet Sooji Halwa.
- Ghee: You can add less amount of ghee if you want.
- Milk and Water: Instead of using milk and water, you can use only milk or water to make this Sheera. Add either 1½ cups of milk or water.
- Saffron: I like to add saffron for color and fragrance. But it is totally optional; you can skip it for plain Sheera.
- Cardamom: With cardamom powder, you can add rose water for more flavors.
- Nuts: I have used chopped almonds to add them to the Sheera and for garnishing. Instead of almonds, you can add chopped cashews or golden raisins.
- Heat: It is essential to cook the Halwa on low-medium heat, so it does not stick to the pan. And the Halwa will not be browned in color. But if you want your Sheera to be darker, you can roast semolina for 2-3 more minutes.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
Calories : 351kcalCarbohydrates : 45gProtein : 5gFat : 17gSaturated Fat : 11gPolyunsaturated Fat : 1gMonounsaturated Fat : 5gTrans Fat : 0.04gCholesterol : 45mgSodium : 24mgPotassium : 111mgFiber : 1gSugar : 27gVitamin A : 46IUVitamin C : 0.1mgCalcium : 60mgIron : 1mg
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