Introduction
Sooji ka Halwa is one of my favourite Pakistani desserts, if not the favourite. I literally will have this for breakfast (desi breakfast) lunch and dinner! It is very much a popular and cherished dessert in Pakistan.
Suji halwa is specifically made with sooji, which is coarse wheat semolina. However other halwa desserts include gajar ka halwa which is carrot based.
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this dessert. The key ingredients for this dessert as I mentioned is semolina (sooji), ghee (clarified butter), sugar, water and cardamom pods. As with most Pakistani desserts, garnishing invovles nuts as almonds, pistachios, or cashews.
My semolina calls for butter instead of ghee, however I add a further richness by adding milk instead of water. Semolina Halwa always holds a special place at my breakfast table, it is almost certainly my favourite Pakistani breakfast option, served with paratha or buttered toast, or just as a standalone, it’s just delicious.
My take on Sooji ka Halwa
My sooji ka halwa is ridiculously easy to make, you really can not go wrong even if you are a total beginner cooking wise. As mentioned earlier, it only requires a handful of ingredients and it’s all made in under 20 minutes. I often make it on a whim in the morning when I am craving a sweet treat. The children adore it too, it is soft , succulent and sweet. What is not to love?!
I personally do not like my halwa too grainy in texture. Often people will roast the semolina in their saucepan first, before adding the remainder ingredients. The roasting of the semolina will amplify a grainy texture. To avoid this, I let the semolina cook in the butter to keep a more succulent and softer texture. Also the type of semolina you use makes a difference. I always use East End’s coarse semolina as I love the consistency of the grains, it never fails me. Like most Pakistani desserts, the garnishing of nuts adds a satisfying crunch. I love to add coarsely ground pistachios and almonds for a contrasting texture.
If you want to add a different edge to this recipe, try adding desiccated coconut; around 25 grams at stage 4 below. This adds a beautifully subtle coconut flavour to the dish. It is a nice twist on the dish and will give your guests an unexpected surprise on first bite.
When I first discovered Sooji ka Halwa
I first ate halwa as child and I fell in love! Like most children I had a super sweet tooth and gobbled down halwa whenever my mum made it. As an adult, I started to enjoy halwa even more. When dining out I’d often order a desi breakfast for which halwa was always a key part. I have to say that to this day, I have not had a halwa that I’ve enjoyed more than this recipe. Restaurants tend to not to use butter due to the expense of this ingredient and use oil instead. Do not be tempted to do this, it really takes away from the taste.
I now make halwa as part of my own desi breakfast, served with channa masala (see my post Super easy Chana Masala / Chickpea Curry – FEASTING FOOD) and paratha, or even just buttered toast! My son has now taken over my lead in gobbling down his halwa. It’s often requested as part of our weekend breakfasts.
See my video on Instagram or TikTok to see how to make this dish!
Ingredients for Halwa
Serves 4-6 people
Time: 15-20 minutes
- 125 grams of unsalted butter (you can use ghee instead)
- 175 grams of coarse semolina ( I use East End’s semolina)
- 300ml milk (I use semi-skimmed, but skimmed and whole milk work equally well)
- 150 grams of granulated sugar
- 25 grams of desiccated coconut (optional)
Method for Halwa
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, turn the heat down. You do not want the butter to burn.
2) Then add the course semolina to the pan. You will need to stir the semolina into the butter constantly for around 5 minutes. You will see the semolina will start to darken the longer it cooks.
3) Once the semolina mixture has turned a golden brown, add the sugar. Stir through again until fully combined with the semolina.
4) Then add the milk (semi skimmed or whole milk) and stir through until the mixture is fully combined. It will be very liquid based at this point. However it cooks very quickly and will need stirring regularly.
5) It’s important to keep constantly stirring the pan once the milk has been added. This prevents the mixture becoming lumpy. A good halwa will not have any clumps of sooji, it will have a consistently smooth texture. If adding coconut, you will need to add it in at this point. The mixture will soon start to thicken. You will need to stir 5-8 minutes until the mixtures glues together and becomes a mass. It will stick to the spoon as you stir.
6) Once the mixture comes away from the edge of your sauce pan as you stir, it is ready. Serve immediately with roughly ground almonds and pistachios sprinkled on top. The crunch of the nuts to the soft halva is a nice contrast for the dish.
Sooji ka Halwa / Suji Halwa/ Sweet Semolina Pudding
Ingredients
- 125 grams unsalted butter you can use ghee instead
- 175 grams coarse semolina I use East End's semolina
- 300 ml whole milk semi skimmed milk will also work well
- 150 grams granulated sugar
- 25 grams desiccated coconut optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, turn the heat down. You do not want the butter to burn.
- Then add the course semolina to the pan. You will need to stir the semolina into the butter constantly for around 5 minutes. You will see the semolina will start to darken the longer it cooks.
- Once the semolina mixture has turned a golden brown, add the sugar. Stir through again until fully combined with the semolina.
- Then add the milk (semi skimmed or whole milk) and stir through until the mixture is fully combined. It will be very liquid based at this point. However it cooks very quickly and will need stirring regularly.
- It's important to keep constantly stirring the pan once the milk has been added. This prevents the mixture becoming lumpy. A good halwa will not have any clumps of sooji, it will have a consistently smooth texture. If adding coconut, you will need to add it in at this point. The mixture will soon start to thicken. You will need to stir 5-8 minutes until the mixtures glues together and becomes a mass. It will stick to the spoon as you stir.
- Once the mixture comes away from the edge of your sauce pan as you stir, it is ready. Serve immediately with roughly ground almonds and pistachios sprinkled on top. The crunch of the nuts to the soft halva is a nice contrast for the dish.
