SPECIAL SUJI / RAWA/ SEMOLINA HALWA

INGREDIENTS
1 cup suji / semolina/ rawa
3/4 cup milk (room temperature)
1/2 tsp saffron (kesar)
1/2 cup desi ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder (elachi powder)
1/2 cup nuts of your choice (I used almonds, raisins, cashew-nuts and pistachios)

For Sugar Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

METHOD
Soak suji in milk with saffron. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes. You will see that suji has completely absorbed milk. This is what we are looking for.

If after 30 minutes:
1. If milk is floating on the sides of bowl, it means you have added excessive milk. Take out with the help of spoon, mix and keep aside again for 10 minutes.


2. If Suji is too dry, it means you have added less milk. Add some more milk. Mix well and keep aside for another 10 minutes.


Till the time suji is soaked, let's make sugar syrup and roast chopped nuts.

Mix together water and sugar, add some cardamom powder or crushed cardamom. Boil it till sugar dissolves completely. (We are not looking for one string or two string consistency here.)

After 30 minutes, take soaked suji in pan, add ghee and roast it on low flame till the time it becomes soft and crumbly, this takes around 15-20 minutes. This is the most crucial step as you have to stir suji continuously to avoid lumps, once lumps are formed it will not go.

Now add sugar syrup and roasted dry fruits. Mix well and cook on low flame till it is completely absorbed.

Switch off the flame and serve hot.

NOTES: 
1. Initially you may feel ghee is too much but after 5 minutes you will see all the ghee absorbing.

2. Make sure to stir the halwa at initial stage or you will see half of suji is cooked and half raw.

IF FEEDING BABY, USE BABY MILK FOR SOAKING SUJI AND DON'T ADD NUTS.


Pictorial:










1. Take 1-2 tbsp ghee and roast almonds and cashew-nuts till golden in color. Roast raisins separately as it get burnt easily.












2. Soak suji with milk and kesar. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes











3. Prepare sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water with some cardamom, till sugar dissolves completely.

4. After 30 minutes you will see suji have completely absorbed milk.

5. Like this, there should not be milk on the sides, but at the same time it is moist.

6. Take ghee in pan, add suji and roast it on low flame. Make sure to stir it continuously for even roasting.

7. Keep roasting and stirring on low flame till it becomes smooth.

8. Add sugar syrup.

9. Keep cooking on low flame. Add roasted nuts at this stage. I forgot to add at this point and added in last.

10. Once halwa is combined and start leaving the sides of pan, it means its ready to be enjoyed. 

11. Add nuts. Serve hot.

12. Garnish and serve.

13. Closer look.

14. A different taste and texture you can't resist.