Sooji Halwa

Recipe Published On: Ghiza e Shireen

INGREDIENTS

• Sooji (fine semolina) 2 cups
• Oil (preferably vegetable), 1 cup (or more)
• Milk, 1/2 cup
• Water, 1 1/2 cups
• Ilaichi (cardamom) powder, 1 teaspoon
• Sugar, 2 cups (or as desired)
• Golden raisins, 1 cup (or more if you like)
• Sliced almonds or pistachios (pre-boiled), 1 cup
• Yellow food color (as needed to make a strong yellow)

LET'S MAKE THIS

1. In a large cooking pot add Sooji and oil and mix well.
   Note: Sooji soaks all the oil, you may need more to fry the flour well. Make sure oil is enough to wet the quantity of flour.
2. Set on medium heat and keep tossing sooji around to avoid burning. There should be a slight sizzle sound of sooji frying. If not add a few more tablespoons of oil.
3. Keep frying until sooji changes color from white to brown. Brown color should be like golden raisins brown. Once well-fried, set the cooking pot aside.
4. In another pot add 2 cups milk, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon cardamom (ilaichi powder), 2 cups sugar, 1 cup kishmish, yellow food color, and mix well. Set on high heat and bring close to boil.
5. Very carefully and off the stove, add milk solution to the pot containing the fried sooji. It will start to sizzle and splutter immediately. Set it on the stove on low heat.
6. Carefully taste a little bit of the mixture and if you want it more sweet add more sugar with half cup water. The halwas will fluff up in volume. Mix well and set on medium heat and continue stirring.
7. It will leave the pan and stick to the spoon as you stir. Keep cooking until all liquid is gone, and beyond. Keep tossing it, cutting through it with the cooking spoon, mashing it, churning it. If you have added generous oil, it will separate.
8. When it is perfectly dry- still dough-like – take it off the stove. Garnish with more raisins (even sliced almonds and pistachios if you like).