Semolina (Sooji) Halwa

Wondering where I have been…..Well it’s the most awaited time of the year – summer break geee 🙂 …..Yes a long break at the best place in the world…..right, mom’s. Doing nothing much other than gorging on mom’s delicious food.

Though I missed my baking…did little bit for the kids, tried my hands on mango chutney and pickle, which turned out fairly well.

In last one month I tried three different variety of Sooji (Semolina) halwa. Each tasted different from the other and was absolutely scrumptious.

Caramel Halwa – my mom’s specialty,  and my all time favorite

Ingredients:

1 cup semolina
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup ghee
½ cup mixed dry fruits (almonds, raisins, and cashew)

Method:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat ghee and sugar together on medium to high flame, till the sugar caramelizes.
2. Quickly (before the caramel burns) add semolina and dry fruits and give it a stir,
3. Add water, cover it with the lid and remove it from the fire.
4. After a minute remove the lid and stir to insure no lumps are formed then put it back on fire and cook till the water evaporates and it starts leaving the sides.
5. The caramel halwa is ready. Transfer it to a serving bowl, carefully cover it with silver foil and sprinkle almond sliver on top.

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Sooji Halwa – my mom-in-law’s specialty, simple and delicious

Ingredients:

1 cup semolina (sooji, rawa) + 1 tbsp wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup ghee (I used ½ cup for this recipe – getting health conscious :))
½ cup raisins and almonds
3 cups water
1 Black cardamom, finely powdered 

Method:

1. Soak raisins in water
2. Blanch almonds, remove the skin, and sliver
3. In a heavy bottomed pan, fry semolina and wheat flour in ghee on slow fire, stirring continuously so that it does not get burnt
4. As sooji starts to change color to dark golden brown (will lighten once water is added) and one gets the aroma, add sugar and stir continuously
5. Immediately add water, raisins, and almonds
6. Cook till it starts leaving the sides of the pan, sprinkle cardamom powder
7. Transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish it with almond slivers
8. Serve it hot

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Angoori  Halwa – my aunt’s specialty

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 cups semolina
3 cups milk
3 tblspn ghee
½ cup chopped dry fruits (almonds, raisins, cashew, and melon seeds)

Method:

1. Mix sugar, semolina and milk in a bowl, and keep aside for two hours.
2. In heavy bottomed pan, fry semolina, sugar, and milk mixture with ghee on slow fire
3. Stir constantly to avoid burning
4. As the milk starts to evaporate and mixture tightens, the ghee appears on the edge of the pan
5. Stir for a few more minutes, the mixture will form into small balls, resembling bunch of grapes (that’s where the name angoori comes from)
6. This indicates angoori halwa is ready. Remove from the fire
7. Add dry fruits and serve it hot