Sooji ka halwa or semolina pudding is perhaps the sweetest of memories I have of my grandmother. She filled the bowl of halwa with a main ingredient called love.

When I was a child, I wasn’t too fond of sweets but I had my favourites and sooji ka halwa would take the number 1 spot! It was usually made during pujas (prayer ceremonies) as an offering to the gods.

But I later developed a love for halwa and my grandmother made it often as a way of showering all her love on her grandchildren. I would be allowed that extra bowl.

Later, when I changed residence, whenever I would visit her in India her first words to me were “Halwa Banaoo?” (Should I make Halwa for you?) knowing very well what my answer would be. Then she would follow it up with “Kal aa jana... Halwa puri aur luchi khilaoongi.” (Come tomorrow, I will make you eat halwa and fried bread)

Then I would wait for the time I would sit in front of the bowl of halwa and take my first bite of heaven. She would wait for all the praises I would shower on her.

For me, she was the master of all cuisines and here I share with you a bowl of heaven. This is her recipe…

Suji Ka Halwa (Semolina Pudding)

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

½ cup refined flour (Maida)

½ cup Semolina (Suji)

¾ cup Sugar or brown sugar

2 large cooking spoons of Ghee

1/2 cup of water(room temperature)

1 teaspoon Green cardamom powder

4-5 strands of Saffron

Blanched Almonds- a handful

1 sheet silver foil (Vark )- I did not get this in Dubai but surely available in India.

METHOD

1. Sift ½ cup flour and ½ cup semolina together. Keep it aside.

2. Make a sugar syrup with the ¾ of sugar with 1 string consistency.

3. Heat the Ghee in a kadai.

4. Add the flour and semolina mixture

5. Cook it till it gets roasted and the color changes to light brown. Be careful not to burn or over roast the mixture. You will start getting a nice roasting smell.

6. add the sugar syrup in the halwa and mix very well taking it off the fire.

7. Mix the saffron and cardamom powder.

8. Decorate it with vark and slivers of blanched almonds.

Savour and eat with puris, luchi or just as it is.

 

This is an excerpt from Sunaina Dhir Shivpuri’s blog, www.rollingpin.me. Shivpuri is a food blogger based in Dubai, a mother and a drumming student. She also loves to dig up old authentic recipes to share with the world!