Sugee Halwa (South Asian Semolina Pudding)
Sugee halwa is a favourite childhood dessert of mine. It's such an easy recipe to make and only needs a few ingredients.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 375 ml water
- 150 g white sugar
- 125 ml evaporated milk (or fresh milk, read article above)
- 100 g ghee
- ⅛ tsp ground cardamom (about 8 cardamom pods)
- 1 tsp rose water or orange blossom water
- 150 g fine semolina
- 2 Tbsp raisins
- 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped nuts (like cashews, pistachios, almonds, walnuts)
- ½ tsp finely crushed dried edible rose petals ((completely optional))
Instructions
- 1
Place the water, milk and sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Keep a close eye on it as you don't want it to boil over.
- 2
Simmer for 2 minutes, then take it off the heat and stir in the rose or orange blossom water.
- 3
Heat and melt the ghee in a wok or frying pan on medium heat. Tip the semolina in and roast in the hot ghee for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Go for 10, if you want a slightly darker halwa.
- 4
Add the ground cardamom after 2 minutes and stir well.
- 5
Add the raisins and chopped nuts around the 5 minute mark, if you want to. This will allow them to soften but not overcook.
- 6
Add the milk syrup in 3-4 additions. Go easy with the first pour, as the halwa paste is going to splutter like crazy. So start small. Then, when it begins to settle down, you can add more of the syrup with each addition.Keep stirring at this stage, round and round, and the liquid-y paste will start to thicken.Keep cooking until it comes together in one soft mass and away from the edges of the pan. See video.
- 7
Transfer to a plate or dish and garnish with crushed nuts of your choice, raisins and optional crushed rose petals.