Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Suji Halwa
Suji Halwa (Semolina Halwa)

Suji Halwa

Semolina Halwa
VegetarianOrigin Punjab/Delhi/AwadhPrep 15 minutes, plus standing timeCook 30 minutes

Suji halwa is a rich Indian semolina pudding made with ghee, clotted cream and sugar, finished with cardamom and nuts. It is soft, grainy and sweet, with a warm cardamom aroma.

Cardamom finish

0.5 gStirred in off the heat at the end (step 7)
01
Green cardamom pod · Elaichiseeds, ground
0.5–0.7 g3–4 pods
spice
Keep the ground seeds ready; stir them in with the nuts once the pan is off the heat.

Everything else

01
Semolina · Sooji
140 g
flour
02
Clotted cream · Malai
254 g250 ml
dairy
03
Raisin · Kishmish
6 g2 teaspoons
fruit
04
Granulated sugar · Cheeni
200 g
sweetener
05
Ghee
132 g10 tablespoons
oil/fat
06
Mixed nutchopped
60 g
nut/seed

Method

  1. Stir 140 g semolina, 254 g clotted cream and 6 g raisin together in a large bowl. Cover and leave for at least 1 hour.
  2. Stir 200 g granulated sugar into 875 ml water in a heavy pan over low heat until dissolved. Take off the heat.
  3. Melt 132 g ghee in a kadhai or deep heavy pan over medium heat.
  4. Add the soaked semolina mixture and fry for 5 minutes, until it turns pale brown and smells nutty.
  5. Pour in the sugar water and stir well to break up any lumps.
  6. Cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring all the time, until the ghee starts to separate.
  7. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cardamom masala and 60 g mixed nut.
  8. Mix well and serve hot.

Don't have something?

Semolina
  • Coarse semolina

    Use the same weight. Soak 10 minutes longer and cook 2–3 minutes more; texture will be more granular.

  • Fine semolina

    Use the same weight. It cooks faster, so reduce cooking time by 2 minutes and stir well to avoid lumps.

  • Cream of wheat

    Use the same weight. It behaves like fine semolina; cook 1–2 minutes less and add liquid gradually.

Clotted cream
  • Double cream

    Use 100% of the weight. Stir straight into curries off the heat; mimics the rich, buttery mouthfeel of clotted cream or fresh malai.

  • Single cream

    Use 100% of the weight. Simmer the sauce for a few extra minutes to evaporate excess moisture and thicken the texture.

  • Milk solids

    Use 70% of the weight, whisked with a splash of whole milk. Imparts deep, cooked-milk richness with a subtle graininess suited to Mughlai gravies.

Raisin
  • Dried plum

    Use equal weight, pitted and finely chopped. Lends a deeper, slightly more tart sweetness to curries and rice dishes.

  • Cashew nut

    Use equal weight. Fry lightly in ghee until golden; substitutes the burst of sweetness with a rich, buttery crunch.

  • Jaggery

    Use 30% of the weight, finely grated. Dissolve straight into the sauce to match the intended sweetness, though without the fruity chew.

Granulated sugar
  • Jaggery

    Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Ghee
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.

  • Mustard oil

    Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Green cardamom pod
  • Green cardamom seed

    Use 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.

  • Ground green cardamom

    Use 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.

  • White cardamom pod

    Use 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Mixed nut
  • Cashew nut

    Use the same weight; toast lightly or fry briefly. It gives a creamy richness similar to mixed nuts.

  • Almond

    Use the same weight; blanch and peel for a softer texture, or chop and toast for crunch.

  • Peanut

    Use the same weight; roast and rub off skins. Flavour is stronger and less sweet, so use slightly less if you like.

Similar dishes

Maharashtrian Sheera
Semolina Cooked in Butter, Cardamom and Saffron
Maharashtrian Sheera tastes buttery and saffron-scented, while this dish tastes richer and creamier with cardamom.
  • Same: Maharashtrian Sheera and this dish are both sweet semolina puddings made with sugar, green cardamom, raisins and nuts cooked in fat.
  • Different: Maharashtrian Sheera uses butter, saffron and cashews instead of this dish's ghee, clotted cream and mixed nuts, and it has no clotted cream.
Rawa Payasam
Semolina & Milk Pudding
It tastes like a smooth, milk-rich semolina pudding with a cashew crunch, while this dish is softer, grainier and richer from ghee and clotted cream.
  • Same: Rawa Payasam shares semolina, ghee, sugar and green cardamom with this dish.
  • Different: It uses milk instead of clotted cream, cashew nuts only instead of mixed nuts and raisins, and no souring agent.
Kesari Bhaath
Saffron-tinged Semolina (Farina)
Kesari Bhaath tastes saffron-scented and glossy from ghee, and it is less creamy than this dish because it has no clotted cream.
  • Same: Kesari Bhaath shares semolina, ghee, sugar, green cardamom and nuts with this dish.
  • Different: Kesari Bhaath adds saffron and milk and uses coarse semolina, cashews and 250 g ghee, while it lacks this dish's clotted cream and raisins.
Suji Paratha
Semolina Paratha
It is crisp, toasted and savory, while this dish is soft, grainy and sweet with cardamom.
  • Same: Suji Paratha shares semolina as its main ingredient with this dish.
  • Different: It uses fine semolina, olive oil and salt, while this dish uses clotted cream, sugar, ghee, raisins, cardamom and mixed nuts.