Sooji ka halwa

Today marks the beginning of famous Odia festival “Raja”, my friends have been asking me what special I would be cooking. Well I have still to try my hands at various forms of oriya “pithas”. May be one day I will start my modest trial with “chakuli pitha” (it is popularly known as “dosa” in South India). But here is a sweet dish “Sooji ka halwa” which my mother lovingly used to make it as breakfast for us. So when I had to try it had to be like mummy’s “Sooji ka halwa”. But I too have added my touch in form of dry fruits.

Sooji ka halwa

Serves: 2 to 3 persons

Ingredients:

Sooji- 1 cup                                                                                                                                 

Sugar- 1 cup

Water- 3 cups

Ghee- 3 tsp+ 3 tbsp

Bay leaf- 1

Green cardamom- 3

Almonds- 2 tbsp

Raisins- 2 tbsp

Salt- ½ tsp

Procedure: Roughly chop the almonds and pound the green cardamom. Take 3 tsp of ghee in a pan and fry the chopped almonds and raisins. Strain and keep it aside. After that heat 3 tbsp ghee in the pan, add bay leaf, cardamom. When you get a nice fragrance, add sooji and fry it well over low flame till slightly browned. As it will take about 5 minutes, keep stirring it with the ladle. Then add sugar and mix well. Increase the flame and cook for another 2 minutes and then add water. Remember to stir continuously to avoid formation of any lumps. After sooji has incorporated well with water, cover and cook for more 5 minutes. Garnish it with almonds and raisins.

Notes:

It is a sweet halwa, so you may reduce the quantity of sugar used according to your preference.

You may add pista to the Sooji ka halwa. The pista make the taste of sooji ka halwa different and rich.