Easy Recipe for Suji Halwa with Cashews and Raisins for Festive Parties

The aroma of ghee roasted suji on a blissful weekend morning is very nostalgic and a source of comfort for many households. As the festive season draws in and away throughout the year, with barely much time to plan, you need something classic yet comforting amid all the chaos that comes with planning a festive party. We are talking about the wholesome, warm and soft Suji Halwa with cashews and raisins.

It’s a North Indian delicacy that is also popular in other parts of the country. In Maharashtra, this dish is called Sheera, in the Southern parts, Sajjige, and Mohan Bhog in other parts of the country. Sometimes, instead of suji, some people tend to use cream of wheat (farina). If you are looking for something simple and a quick fix, with an absolute melt-in-your-mouth quality, suji ka halwa is your best bet.

As for suji, sooji or semolina, which is a coarsely milled wheat product, its origin is quite intriguing and shrouded in mystery. But it likely originated in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, where durum wheat has been cultivated for thousands of years. It goes back to ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, who used to grind wheat into coarse meals and consume it as food. As time went on, global traders picked up the milled product and were responsible for its dispersion across the globe. Several centuries later, we see the beloved semolina rise to the level of a comfort food status, with it being the gold staple at most festive celebrations.

This recipe below is rich in ghee, in which the semolina is roasted, with a splash of milk, sugar, and a pinch of cardamom powder, or crushed pods, whichever is readily available. You can add your own twist to it and shuffle around the recipe and our recommendation? Drop in a few pieces of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate into your home-cooked Suji Halwa with Cashews and Raisins, and et voila, you have a sweeter and chocolatey dessert. Just a word of caution, lessen the sugar amount in the recipe in case you are making Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate infused Suji Halwa with Cashews and Raisins, for your festive parties.

Festive Suji Halwa with Cashews and Raisins

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Suji (Semolina or Rava)
• 1/2 cup Ghee
• 150 gm Sugar
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 cup Water
• 1 tsp Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)
• A small pinch of Saffron strands
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 10 Cashew nuts, halved
• 2 tbsp Raisins (preferably Sultanas)

Instructions

1. Take a saucepan first and into it, pour the water and milk. Then add the sugar, saffron strands, and cardamom powder. You can also use 1-2 whole crushed cardamoms. Stir until the sugar melts on medium-low heat. Set aside or keep simmering on low flame.
2. Now, take a wide and heavy-bottomed pan. Add the large portion of the ghee and heat on a medium flame. Then add the suji and roast until it’s fragrant and turns a light brown shade.
3. With the heat on medium, immediately, but gradually stir in the hot milk liquid into this pan. You can also lower the heat to avoid any sputtering when pouring the liquid into the suji.
4. Stir the mixture and watch as the suji thickens. Once it’s thick, the halwa will start to leave the sides of the pan. Cover and simmer the halwa for a few minutes while stirring occasionally.
5. Once the halwa leaves the sides of the pan, turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Let it rest for a few minutes.
6. Take another small pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee on medium heat. Once all melted, add the cashew nuts and raisins and fry them until they are golden brown.
7. Turn off the heat and stir in the fried nuts and raisins into the halwa.
8. Your Suji Halwa is ready. Serve it with Puri and Chole or Upma during a festive weekend lunch or morning get-together.

While this is the basic recipe for suji ka halwa, consider adding other garnishes alongside the fried cashews and raisins. For example, fresh fruits like pomegranate, dry fruits, dry coconut or shredded coconut.