Dessert - Semolina or Sooji Halva

I started making this recipe, given to me by a neighbor in Muscat, with desiccated coconuts. One night, as I lay in bed wanting to wet my lips with something sweet in popped an idea to try roasted almonds instead of desiccated coconut. I haven't looked back since.

This is always part of my trolley layout when entertaining, during Eid or other festive occasions. (Sometimes, craving for sweet is a festive enough occasion.)

Same recipe can be used for besan halva without the almonds.

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

Whole almonds: 1 cup, dry roasted and crushed

or 

Dessicated unroasted coconut: 1 cup

Roasting almonds

Semolina: 1 cup

Measuring the sooji

Sugar: 1 cup

Whole milk powder: 1 cup option to use khoya or ricotta cheese

Butter or ghee: 1/2 cup

Saffron strands: a pinch

Ground cardamom: 1/4 tsp

     Direction:

1. Add sugar and 3 tbsp water in a separate pan, use low heat to make the sugar syrup. 
2. Dry roast the semolina in an open pan on medium to low heat until a light golden brown.
3. Add the butter and ghee to the semolina and continue to fry for a few minutes.
4. Add the crushed almonds to the above mixture, stir over low heat to combine.
5. Add the whole milk powder and combine over low heat.
6. Stir in the sugar syrup, cardamom and saffron strands to the semolina.
7. Depending on the consistency of the finished halva, it can be served as a soft consistency or laid out on a pre-greased small pizza pan and cut into small pieces.

Sugar Syrup

Checking the syrup consistency



Sooji over flame

Dry roasted sooji with ghee or butter

Combining the ghee into the sooji

Roasting the sooji

 adding sugar syrup

 setting halva in a flat pan