This Sooji ka Halwa is one of my favorite, easy to make dessert options and is so delicious when combined with channa and poori!
Asthami, the eight day of Navratri is associated with ‘Kanya Pooja’ and this means making some poori, channa and sooji ka halwa for prasad!
So today is Ashtami and how much ever I find the tradition of “Kanya Pooja” funny and ridiculous now, it’s something I enjoyed immensely while growing up. The going from house to house in a gang and pretending to be all important on that day, collecting of little knick nacks and lots of money, and the end of the day, planning which doll will I buy with that. When I look back I wonder how easy it was to make us happy at that age. No tension of what actually is the reason behind, what are the undercurrents. Just enjoy life as it comes in small things and go on.
Now when I think of “Kanya Pooja” I think of hypocrisy, of discrimination and so many more things. My mind is full of contradictions and confusion. I cannot seem to decide what is right and what is wrong but then I know that memories are strong and I also know that food traditions MUST never die.
So every Ashtami I make channa, halwa and poori and along with some chocolates distribute in kids around my place who are not very well to do, kids of construction workers and the likes, somebody for whom things like this do matter. After many years, this time was one of the days I didn’t do it. I moved houses last week and I am running a two week long kids workshop, both of which are so draining that I am barely surviving. But I did make a little halwa in the evening and when pixie asked me for a recipe, I thought why not take this as an opportunity to scribble something here too. I know I promised you guys baking a-z and it hasn’t started yet but apart from the move, the broadband has been playing with me too and has been down for over a week now. I promise I will start and finish it as soon as I get better internet access. Currently typing from phone, which works only for small and quick posts.
So here is the sooji ka halwa recipe.
Source – ma.
Sooji Ka Halwa | Indian Semolina Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 1 cup sooji (semolina, fine chiroti rawa)
- 1 tbsp besan
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cashew nuts of any other you want
- Pinch salt of
Instructions
- In a big bowl, heat sugar and water together till completely dissolved, the best is to make "one string sugar syrup" but it works without that also.
- In a heavy bottom pan, heat ghee and add sooji and roast constantly stirring. When it starts to change color add besan and roast till sooji is aromatic and light brown in color.
- At this stage, add the hot sugar syrup, be careful while doing the batter will sizzzle. Don't burn yourself.
- Cook till water dries a bit and the halwa starts to leave ghee in the side.
- Heat one more tablespoon of ghee and roast the nuts and raisins. Add to the halwa and serve hot.
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