Halwa Recipe
By Swasthi on January 14, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe
Make delicious Halwa with my simple traditional recipe. Made with basic ingredients like semolina, ghee, sugar, water and nuts, this Halwa is simple to make and comes together under 25 minutes. Whether it’s a festival or you simply want to fulfill your sweet cravings, I am sure you will love this Halwa for everything. Soft, fluffy and mouth melting texture with great flavors of cardamom!!!
![Halwa recipe with sooji](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-sooji-halwa.jpg.webp)
About Halwa
Halwa is said to have originated in the Middle East and the word comes from Arabic which means “sweet” & is a confectionary. However in Indian Cuisine it is a pudding like dessert made during occasions like festivals or for a special meal. It is also served as an after-meal dessert.
Indian Halwa comes in many forms and colors. It is made with either semolina or flour or lentils by roasting them in ghee and cooking with water or milk. It is sweetened with sugar & flavoured with various spices like cardamoms, nutmeg, saffron etc.
Lastly it is garnished with nuts & a lot of times the halwa itself is cooked with nuts and raisins.
Semolina halwa known as sooji halwa is the most basic and is prepared and eaten all over India. It is eaten as a after meal dessert or with Poori, a fried bread. In South India a similar version is known as Rava Kesari and in the Western Indian states it is known as Sheera.
This halwa recipe needs only 5 basic ingredients like semolina, ghee, sugar, nuts & raisins and cardamoms (or other spice) for flavoring. It is cooked in water but you can also use half water and half milk for a richer taste.
![Sooji ka halwa](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/indian-halwa-recipe.jpg.webp)
Ingredients & Subtitutes
Semolina: You will use fine semolina known as sooji /suji for this recipe. If you have the larger kind, you may pulse it in a grinder so you get a slightly finer texture.
Spices: While cardamom is the essential spice used to flavor the halwa, you are always free to use saffron, nutmeg or even rose water for flavoring.
Sweetener: Sugar is the standard sweetener used but you can also use other sweeteners like jaggery or coconut sugar. You should note that the flavors & color of the halwa change with the use of other sweeteners.
Ghee: It is best to use good quality ghee, preferably homemade or store bought that smells good. There is no substitute for ghee.
Nuts & Raisins: Cashews, almonds, pistachios and raisins go well in this semolina halwa. Please use unsalted nuts. I prefer to fry them in ghee for this recipe. Feel free to blanch, peel and chop the almonds and pistachios if you want.
How to make Sooji Ka Halwa (Stepwise Photos)
Preparation
1. Measure the ingredients required for the recipe
1 cup fine semolina (160 grams suji/ sooji/rava)
½ cup ghee (can use 2 tablespoons more, refer notes)
¾ cup sugar (can use 2 tablespoons more, read notes)
½ teaspoon cardamom powder (or ½ teaspoon rose water, not essence)
2 tablespoons sweet raisins (optional)
1/3 cup cashews (split)
8 to 10 almonds (sliced or 2 tablespoons silvered, optional)
![ingredients to make sooji ka halwa](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-001.jpg.webp)
2. To a heavy bottom pan, add ghee and heat it. Add cashews and begin to fry them on a medium heat.
![frying cashews](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-002.jpg.webp)
3. When the cashews turn golden, add the chopped raisins and sliced almonds.
![frying raisins and cashews](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-003.jpg.webp)
4. Fry until the raisins turn pulp. If you want some crunchy nuts, you can set aside half of them at this stage.
![frying nuts](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-004.jpg.webp)
5. Add the semolina to the pan and begin to roast on a medium to low heat stirring often. Meanwhile in a small pot or kettle, heat 2 ½ cups water.
![add semolina](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-005.jpg.webp)
6. Keep stirring to fry the semolina evenly. If required regulate the heat to low. When the semolina turns light and begins to smell aromatic it means it is done. It turns to a dark golden color. Don’t overcook and brown it as the flavor alters.
![fried semolina](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-006.jpg.webp)
Make the Halwa
7. Reduce the heat and pour the hot water all at once to the pan. You don’t need to bring it to a rolling boil. Hot is enough.
![pour hot water](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-007.jpg.webp)
8. Mix the water well with the semolina to make sure there are no lumps.
![stir the halwa in the pan](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-008.jpg.webp)
9. Increase the flame to medium and cover the pan. Let it cook for a few minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.
![cook sooji covered](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-009.jpg.webp)
10. You will see the semolina is fluffy at this stage. Give a good mix.
![cook semolina](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-010.jpg.webp)
11. Add sugar and cardamom powder. I also prefer to add ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg at this stage. Mix well and cook covered.
![add sugar and cardamoms](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-011.jpg.webp)
12. The sugar dissolves and makes the halwa runny. Mix and cook covered for a few minutes.
![sugar dissolves in the hot halwa](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-012.jpg.webp)
13. When done, your halwa is fluffy, aromatic and light. Mix in the rose water if using.
![fluffy sooji ka halwa releasing ghee](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-013.jpg.webp)
14. It will also begin to leave the pan and ghee begins to release from the halwa. Do not overcook as we don’t want it dry.
![halwa in a staub cookware](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-014.jpg.webp)
Garnish with the fried nuts and raisins if you had set aside. Serve halwa as a dessert or with puri.
![Halwa recipe with sooji](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-sooji-halwa-recipe.jpg.webp)
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
![halwa recipe](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-sooji-halwa-recipe-150x150.jpg.webp)
Halwa Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup fine semolina (160 grams suji/ sooji/rava, or roasted rava)
- ½ cup ghee (can use 2 tablespoons more)
- ¾ to 1 cup sugar (adjust to taste, ¾ + 2 tbsps is good enough)
- 2 ½ cups water (or 2 cups water & ½ cup milk)
- ⅓ cup cashews (split)
- 8 to 10 almonds (sliced or 2 tablespoons silvered, optional)
- 2 tablespoons sweet raisins (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (or ½ teaspoon rose water, not essence)
Instructions
How to Make Sooji Ka Halwa
- Heat ghee in a pan or pot. Fry cashews until light golden and then stir in the chopped almonds and raisins.
- Fry until the raisins turn plump. Set aside half of the nuts & raisins if you want for garnish.
- Reduce the heat and add the semolina to the ghee. Begin to fry on a low to medium heat, stirring continuously.
- Meanwhile pour water to a pot or kettle and heat it. You don’t need to boil it, just very hot water is enough.
- When the semolina turns light golden and aromatic, pour all of the hot water at once carefully.
- Give a good stir to ensure there are no lumps. Cover and cook until all of the water is absorbed, for a few minutes.
- Stir in the sugar & cardamom powder. You will see the halwa turns runny. At this stage you can also taste test and add more sugar if you want.
- Cover and cook until all of the sugar has dissolved and the halwa begins to leave the pan. At this stage you can see ghee begins to release from the halwa. If you prefer more ghee, add it at this stage.
- Add rose water if using and turn off. Add the fried nuts and raisins if you had set aside.
- Serve Halwa hot or warm as a dessert or with Poori.
Notes
- Traditional halwa is made with 1:1:1 ratios of semolina, ghee and sugar. This is my version of halwa where I cut down the ghee to half cup. If you want you may use 2 tablespoons more.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
![Halwa Recipe](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/halwa-recipe-sooji-halwa.jpg.webp)
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Yummy!! Tastes divine!! I cut down 2 tablespoons ghee but still my halwa turned out delicious
Thanks Damini
Delicious sooji halwa. I made this for a dinner party and it was great!
Glad you like it Zora. Thank you
I love all your recipes.
Whenever I am searching a recipe my first choice is to check swasthis recipe if there isn’t any then I go for other options.
Keep posting ❤️
Thank you so much!
Sure will keep posting.
🙂
I like rajma
And palak paneer
Thank you!
Palak paneer was lovely
Thanks Minal
So delicious recipes
Thanks
ur all recepie r amazing in taste ..
thanks..☺
Welcome Aisha
So glad to know you like the recipes
Thank you