1cupSuji/ SemolinaCoarse or fine whichever you prefer
1cupSugargranulated
3cups hot wateruse 4 cups if you are using coarse semolina variety
1/2cup ghee (clarified butter)
1tbspghee (clarified butter)to add once the halwa is cooked
1/2cupnuts (mix of blanched and peeled almonds, cashews and raisins)
1tbspmelon seeds
Instructions
Take a thick bottomed pan, add ghee and semolina. Stir the mixture till sooji starts turning golden brown .Keep stirring and ensure the sooji doesn't stick to the bottom or else it might start burning.
If using nuts, add all the nuts and melon seeds, and stir well.
Add water and stir. The mixture will start to thicken. Stir to ensure there are no lumps, and mixture has blended well.
Add sugar and mix well.
Turn off the heat, and add 1 tbsp of ghee and mix.
Serve it warm with your evening tea.
Notes
1.The ratio that we normally use for making Suji halwa is Suji/semolina, sugar, water,ghee is 1:1:4:1/2. But you will need to alter it depending on the kind of Suji you have. When I first cooked halwa here in UK, using the regular ratio, my halwa turned out to be a little too runny. Then I realised that here we get two varieties of Suji- coarse and very fine. So if you are using the coarse variety, use the above ratio 1 cup Suji/ 1 cup sugar/4 cups water and 1/2 cup ghee. But if you are using the finer variety of Suji, then reduce the water, so the ratio will be 1 cup Suji/ 1 cup sugar/3 cups water and 1/2 cup ghee.2. For detailed reference 1cup semolina would be app. 200gms , and 1 cup granulated sugar is app. 230gms. Half cup ghee is approximately 100gms of ghee. If you are using a cup to measure, make are you use the same cup to measure all ingredients.2.Depending on your choice, you can add nuts like soaked, peeled and chopped almonds (or even whole almonds taste good), chopped cashews, and raisins.3.You can add chopped pistachios and cardamom powder as well.4.Sometimes i do not add all the nuts, but only add melon seeds.They really blend in well with the taste of Suji halwa, and is a healthy option.4. If making this for some special occasion, you can make this more royal by frying all the chopped nuts in a tbsp of ghee separately, and then adding them later at the time of garnishing and serving the halwa.