Sooji Halwa - How to Make - Video Recipe (2024)

Call it “Sooji ka Halwa“, “Sheera”, “Semolina Pudding”, “Navratri Prasad Halwa”, “Ashtami prasad”, “Jaagran Prasad”,it is one and same thing. Grew up seeing my mom making sooji halwa at home every time as Navratri prasad,or as a yummy dessert. When I tried to make same Sooji ka Halwa, in my first attempt, I ended up making a disaster. After a couple of attempts I got the trick on how make perfect sooji halwa, perfectly roasted semolina / sooji, just the right amount of water, sugar and other ingredients, incorporating my learnings in this sooji halwa recipe here.

What is Sooji Halwa

Sooji Halwa or “Sooji Ka Halwa” is pudding made from semolina, ghee (clarified butter), sugar and water as the basic ingredients. You can top up other things like cashews, raisins, coconut, saffron to give sooji halwa even better taste (as well as fragrance).

You will notice that I have added milk in my recipe, though milk is optional, however addition of milk gives sooji halwa creamy texture, and helps in adding of saffron in halwa.

In the days when my mum used to make this halwa, it was very primitive with no nuts or saffron or even milk, yet it was delicious. So don’t feel disheartened in case you do not have nuts, however adding nuts will enhance the flavour.

How to make best Sooji Halwa

Key to a good sooji halwa is, having the ratio of sooji and ghee right. For every cup of sooji, I use 2/3cup of ghee.

Adding gram flour to the halwa

I have added gram flour in my recipe, reason for this is that gram flour enhances the taste of sooji halwa.

Roasting of sooji

It is extremely important to roast sooji till you can smell its roasted fragrance. This is one common disaster I have seen people do where they rush in and do not roast sooji. Roasting of sooji needs to be done on extremely low heat.

Adding liquid to halwa

When adding liquid, ensure constant stirring, else halwa will form lumps and won’t give consistent creamy texture. Be careful while adding liquid, as the pan will be hot and bubbles will form and can squirt out of pan. Keep the flame low and keep stirring.

Sweetness level

You can add more sugar as per your need.

Method for making best semolina pudding

1. Add sugar to the water in a pan and put it for boiling, stirring occasionally. Once it gets first boil, switch off the flame.
2. Heat ghee / butter in a pan over low-medium heat and roast the semolina for 7-8 minutes stirring continuously.
3. Add gram flour and wheat flour now and roast again for 5 minutes. Add cashews.
4. Keeping the flame to the lowest, slowly add sugar syrup to roasted semolina stirring continuously so that no lumps forms. Add all the syrup and mix it well. Add saffron soaked milk and stir.
5. After 5 minutes, add raisins and mix.
6. Once halwa reaches your desired consistency, add cardamom powder and desiccated coconut. Mix them properly and switch off the flame

This halwa is same halwa which is made during Navratri as prasad on “Ashtami” or “Navmi”. Navratri can never be complete without this Halwa.

Serving Suggestion

Serve this halwa hot on its own. During Navratri, it is served with Poori and Black chick peas.

Other Halwa Recipes

You may also like to try other halwa recipes like

Almond Halwa

Moong Dal Halwa

Gajar / Carrot Halwa