Halwa Recipe - Swasthi's Recipes (2024)

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!!!

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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.

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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)

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2. To a heavy bottom pan, add ghee and heat it. Add cashews and begin to fry them on a medium heat.

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3. When the cashews turn golden, add the chopped raisins and sliced almonds.

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4. Fry until the raisins turn pulp. If you want some crunchy nuts, you can set aside half of them at this stage.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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8. Mix the water well with the semolina to make sure there are no lumps.

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9. Increase the flame to medium and cover the pan. Let it cook for a few minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.

10. You will see the semolina is fluffy at this stage. Give a good mix.

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11. Add sugar and cardamom powder. I also prefer to add ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg at this stage. Mix well and cook covered.

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12. The sugar dissolves and makes the halwa runny. Mix and cook covered for a few minutes.

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13. When done, your halwa is fluffy, aromatic and light. Mix in the rose water if using.

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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.

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Garnish with the fried nuts and raisins if you had set aside. Serve halwa as a dessert or with puri.

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Recipe Card

Halwa Recipe - Swasthi's Recipes (24)

Halwa Recipe

This traditional Halwa made with semolina aka suji, ghee, nuts, sugar and water (milk) is a pure delight. Enjoy this light, fluffy and delicious sooji halwa as a dessert or with poori.

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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Cook Time25 minutes minutes

Total Time30 minutes minutes

Servings4

AuthorSwasthi

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)
  • 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

  1. 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)

Nutrition Facts

Halwa Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 594Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Cholesterol 58mg19%

Sodium 12mg1%

Potassium 232mg7%

Carbohydrates 79g26%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 39g43%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 0.02IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Halwa Recipe - Swasthi's Recipes (25)

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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Halwa Recipe - Swasthi's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Which halwa is best? ›

Badam Halwa and Carrot Halwa are popular all over the country, each region has its specialty too, like the Wheat Halwa of Tamil Nadu, which is made with the milk extracted from soaked wheat! Halwas, unlike sheeras and kheers are usually slow-cooked to get a rich taste.

What is special about halwa? ›

This original middle eastern dessert was made from date paste and milk. Even today, the Arabs serve Omani Halwa to special guests. Made from starch, eggs, sugar, nuts, and ghee, it takes two hours to cook and remains unspoilt for four months even without refrigeration or adding preservatives.

Why is my halva grainy? ›

Water: The amount of water will determine the texture. If you want it to be more grainy to be eaten alone, you can use as little as 2 cups of water.

Why is my halwa watery? ›

Adding the sugar syrup

It'll be hot so be careful of the steam and splashes. Stirring helps to prevent lumps in the halwa. You'll find a watery mix where sooji particles are settling down if not stirred. The stirring can be in intervals now but you can still not leave this unattended.

Which halwa is the healthiest? ›

Badam Ka Halwa:

Another halwa that tops the list is badam ka halwa. What's not to like about this easy halwa recipe? It's healthy, gets cooked in 10 minutes, and is mouth-watering! All you need is a whole lot of almonds, blanch, and peel them before you cook them with some desi ghee.

What is the difference between halva and halwa? ›

The sweet's spellings are as numerous as its origins: Egyptians call it “halawa,” while Indians drop the final "h" and name it “halva.” Regardless of what you call it, what is certain is that the word derives from the Arabic word, “halwa,” which means “sweet confection.” This versatile, rich ingredient has spread ...

What is halwa called in English? ›

Meaning of Halwa

The Arabic word “Halawa” (حلاوة) means 'sweetness,' while “halwa” (حلوى) means 'sweets' or 'candy. ' The Hebrew word “halva” actually means “sweet” or “dessert.” There is no equivalent of halwa or sooji halwa in English. The closest dish would be pudding.

Which halwa is world famous? ›

Tirunelveli Halwa

This halwa is famous in the city of Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. Made with wheat, sugar, and ghee, Tirunelveli Halwa was popularised by Iruttukadai Halwa, a shop believed to have opened in the year 1900.

Which country is famous for halwa? ›

Halwa is a dense sweet confection that is famous across India (Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia) by its different names. Thirunelveli district of South Tamilnadu is known for this sweet, Specifically, Iruttukadai halwa has its own set of audience across the state.

Why is halva so expensive? ›

The price of the Halva is efected directly by the ingredients we use to make it. We use the best Tahini (cost 5 times more then an avarage one), we use real Belgian chocolates, we use the best green pistachio in the market, and we do so also with all of the other ingredients.

Can you eat too much halva? ›

Although the consumption amount is not very important for young people and adults, especially elderly people should be careful when eating halva. In case of too much consumption, it can adversely affect health and cause diseases.

Should I refrigerate halva? ›

Halva does not require refrigeration for food safety reasons. In fact, it has been sold for centuries in the hot desert sun in the Middle East! However, we do recommend keeping it cool in the fridge or a temperature controlled pantry to try to delay the natural separation of oil.

Why is my halwa sticky? ›

Now add in sugar and mix well. Cook this by keep stirring it. After 5 mins or so, if you see the halwa sticky, add ghee tbsp at a time and keep mixing. I added around 4 tblspn more ghee to make it glossy and non sticky.

What is a substitute for ghee in halwa? ›

Coconut oil: Coconut oil can also be used as a substitute for ghee in Besan ka Halwa.

What to do if halwa is too sweet? ›

How do I remove too much sugar from halwa? Adding lime juice can to your dish can balance out the sweetness.

Which is the famous halwa in India? ›

Muscoth Halwa

This Halwa that was popularised in Tamil Nadu's Madalur by Jospeh Abraham and his son J Jeyaseelan is said to be inspired by a dessert Joseph had in Sri Lanka. He developed the dessert further and came up with the popular Muscoth Halwa.

Which halwa is famous in Kerala? ›

Kozhikodan Halwa is the quintessential dish that carries the true flavour of the culinary traditions of Kozhikode or Calicut. The delicacy is believed to be the contribution of Arab settlers in the city many years back.

Is halwa healthy or not? ›

It contains a significant amount of Vitamin C, which may provide protection against disease. Furthermore, the addition of dried fruits and ghee to the halwa may boost its immunity. In addition to being an immunity booster, dry fruits are also rich in antioxidants and protein.

Which halwa is famous in Pakistan? ›

Perhaps out of all the halwa varieties to be found in Pakistan, the most popular and widely known across the country is the sohan halwa (Urdu: سوہن حلوہ) from Multan.

References

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