Sooji Halwa or Rava no Sheero is a popular pudding made in North India. This dessert is specially made during the festival of Navratri, to celebrate Ashtmi and Satyanarayan Pooja for Satyranarayan Prasad during Shravan. This pudding is made by toasting the semolina in ghee until fragrant, then adding almonds. We add milk, water, and sugar to the cooked semolina, and cook it further until the water is absorbed! The halwa is flavored with cardamom!
Growing up in India, Navaratri is always a special time. On Ashtmi, all the girls are invited for lunch/ brunch, and the menu is Kale Chane, Sooji Halwa, and Pooris. I loved being kanjak and would look forward to enjoying this delicious meal on Ashtmi to celebrate Ambe Maa.
My Mom makes Ashtmi thali for my sisters and me every year and prays for us. It has been a ritual for so long in our home, and now I make this puri, chane, and halwa for Inaaya too. I believe food truly brings us closer to our roots! Making festive food is my way of celebrating our culture and traditions with Inaaya, and getting her excited to learn about the culture I grew up with!
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What is Sooji Halwa?
Sooji Halwa or Rava no Sheero is a delicious Indian pudding made with semolina toasted in ghee. This semolina is further cooked with milk, water, and sugar which is perfumed with freshly pounded cardamom. The halwa has a beautiful soft, fluffy, and rich texture. Traditionally, milk is not added to the recipe, but my ba (grandma) always adds it. I think the milk adds to the richness of this sooji halwa. I like to add freshly pounded cardamom to this recipe because it gives the recipe a beautiful aroma and sweet undertones.
We Gujaratis also make this rava no sheero for Satyanaran Katha. This halwa is also famously known as Satyanarayan Prasad, as it is offered to the god. When the rava no sheero is made for this pooja, it is garnished with Indian Holy Basil (tulsi). We fast before the pooja, and after the pooja is done, we break out fast with this sheero and also distribute the sheero to the devotees. You can also make this recipe for any Devi pooja or Ganesh Pooja.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This halwa recipe is easy to make and delicious
- It is rich, creamy, and fluffy in texture
- We use milk and water with sugar to make our sugar syrup, which will add richness to the recipe
- The recipe uses a 1:3 ratio of Sooji to Water. This means, for every 1 cup of Sooji you will need 3 cups of water. I am using 2.5 cups of water and half a cup of milk.
- We will also use a 1:1 ratio for Sooji to Sugar. This means, that for every 1 cup of Sooji, we will use 1 cup of sugar
- The recipe is easy to follow and perfect.
- Make this for Satyanarayan prasad or any other pooja at home
Ingredients to Make This Sooji Halwa
Water - We will need 2.5 cups of water to make the sugar syrup to add to the toasted semolina.
Milk - We will use half a cup of whole milk to water to add richness in the halwa
Sugar - Add 1 cup of sugar for the sweetener. Alternately you can also add 1 cup of ripe mashed banana to the recipe to sweeten it.
Green Cardamoms - Freshly pounded green cardamoms are added to the milk, water and sugar mix, and are brought to a boil. This adds sweet flavor and aroma to the recipe.
Ghee - Use half a cup + 2 tablespoons of ghee in this recipe to toast sooji (semolina) and almonds
Semolina - We will use coarse sooji to make this recipe. The texture will be perfect for this halwa recipe if you use coarse sooji. While if you use fine sooji, the texture is not perfect for the halwa recipe.
Almonds - I roughly chop the almonds and add them to the suji once toasted. It adds a nice crunchy bite to the halwa.
Garnishes - I like to garnish this sooji halwa with slivered almonds and pistachios along with some saffron strands and dried rose buds.
How to Make The Best Sooji Halwa?
I believe if you get the ratios for this sooji halwa right, you will always ace the recipe. I like to use a 1:1 ratio of sooji to sugar, this means for every cup of sooji, we will use one cup of sugar to sweeten it. And a 1:3 ratio for Sooji to Water ratio, this means for every 1 cup of sooji we will use 3 cups of water or 2.5 cups of water + ½ cup of milk.
Cook The Halwa
Add green cardamoms to a mortar pastel and pound until ground finely. Keep it aside.
Now in a saucepan, add half a cup of milk, 2.5 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar.
Add the ground cardamom in it.
On a slow flame, stir the milk and water mix, until sugar is completely dissolved.
On the other stove, on medium-low heat, place a heavy bottom pan. Add half a cup + 2 tablespoons of ghee. Let the ghee melt.
Add 1 cup of coarse sooji and stir. This sooji will soak up the ghee, but in 8-10 minutes of stirring the sooji, the ghee will start to separate.
Once the ghee starts to separate, it will be easier to move the spatula around. You will notice the sooji starts to change its color.
You will also notice the sooji will become aromatic, as it cooks.
It is very important to patiently cook the sooji. Once the sooji changes color and is aromatic, add slivered almonds. Toast them for a minute.
Keep a close eye on the milk and water mix, as it must have started bubbling now. Bring it to a boil.
Add the hot milk+water+sugar mix, to the cooked sooji and almonds, while continuously stirring to make sure there are no lumps.
Cook this sooji halwa further stirring it continuously for 8-10 minutes. You will notice the ghee has separated, and bubbling on the sides.
The halwa will leave the sides of the pan, and that's when you can turn off the stove.
Now cover the halwa for 5 minutes. Let it rest.
Garnish with slivered almonds, pistachios, saffron strands and a few rose buds. If you are making this rava no sheero for satyanarayan prasad garnish with Indian holy basil aka tulsi.
Expert Tips to Make This Recipe
- You don't want to make a thick sugar syrup to add to the recipe. The water and sugar need to be brought to a boil and are runny in texture.
- Don't skimp on ghee in this halwa recipe.
- Use coarse sooji instead of fine sooji to get the perfect texture of the halwa.
- Roast the sooji patiently, until aromatic and changes color. Toasting the sooji with ghee will help speed up the process.
- Follow the recommended ratios properly from the recipe.
- You can add more sugar if you like, but I make this halwa mildly sweet.
- If you like darker sooji halwa, cook the sooji in ghee for 11-12 minutes, then add the almonds. You will notice the sooji has browned, which will give this halwa a darker color.
- If you are making this halwa for your kids, I recommend adding 1 cup of mashed ripe banana to the cooked suji and almonds. This way the halwa will be naturally sweetened.
Serving Suggestions Sooji ka Halwa
I like to serve sooji halwa with pooris, aloo sabzi, chane, and boondi raita, to make a wholesome meal for satvik ashtmi or satyanarayan prasad.
You can also enjoy this halwa warm in a bowl, after your meal for dessert.
Storage Instructions for Sooji ka Halwa
I recommend storing the halwa in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Heat it in the microwave for a minute, as needed, and enjoy!
More Recipes From The Blog
Sooji Halwa
These nutrional values are automatically generated. Use them for estimation only.
Ingredients
- 2.5 Cups Water
- ½ Cup Milk
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 3-5 Green Cardamoms
- ½ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Ghee
- 1 Cup Sooji Coarse
- ¼ Cup Almonds Slivered
Garnishes
- 1 Tablespoon Slivered Almonds
- 1 Tablespoon Slivered Pistachios
- 4-5 Saffron Strans
- 4 Dried Rose Buds
Instructions
- Add green cardamoms to a mortar pastel and pound until ground finely. Keep it aside.
- Now in a saucepan, add half a cup of milk, 2.5 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar.
- Add the ground cardamom in it.
- On a slow flame, stir the milk and water mix, until sugar is completely dissolved.
- On the other stove, on medium-low heat, place a heavy bottom pan. Add half a cup + 2 tablespoons of ghee. Let the ghee melt.
- Add 1 cup of coarse sooji and stir. This sooji will soak up the ghee, but in 8-10 minutes of stirring the sooji, the ghee will start to separate.
- Once the ghee starts to separate, it will be easier to move the spatula around. You will notice the sooji starts to change its color.
- You will also notice the sooji will become aromatic, as it cooks.
- It is very important to patiently cook the sooji. Once the sooji changes color and is aromatic, add slivered almonds. Toast them for a minute.
- Keep a close eye on the milk and water mix, as it must have started bubbling now. Bring it to a boil.
- Add the hot milk+water+sugar mix, to the cooked sooji and almonds, while continuously stirring to make sure there are no lumps.
- Add it in batches while stirring it continously so it doesn't form lumps.
- Cook this sooji halwa further stirring it continuously for 8-10 minutes. You will notice the ghee has separated, and bubbling on the sides.
- The halwa will leave the sides of the pan, and that's when you can turn off the stove.
- Now cover the halwa for 5 minutes. Let it rest.
- Garnish with slivered almonds, pistachios, saffron strands and a few rose buds. If you are making this rava no sheero for satyanarayan prasad garnish with Indian holy basil aka tulsi.
Notes
-
- You don't want to make a thick sugar syrup to add to the recipe. The water and sugar need to be brought to a boil and are runny in texture.
-
- Don't skimp on ghee in this halwa recipe.
-
- Use coarse sooji instead of fine sooji to get the perfect texture of the halwa.
-
- Roast the sooji patiently, until aromatic and changes color. Toasting the sooji with ghee will help speed up the process.
-
- Follow the recommended ratios properly from the recipe.
-
- You can add more sugar if you like, but I make this halwa mildly sweet.
-
- If you like darker sooji halwa, cook the sooji in ghee for 11-12 minutes, then add the almonds. You will notice the sooji has browned, which will give this halwa a darker color.
-
- If you are making this halwa for your kids, I recommend adding 1 cup of mashed ripe banana to the cooked suji and almonds. This way the halwa will be naturally sweetened.
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