Sooji Halwa — Semolina Ghee-Roast (सूजी हलवा)

Ingredients

• 200 g coarse semolina (sooji / rava), Triticum durum endosperm; coarse grind
• 150 g sugar
• 600 ml water, heated to a warm simmer before use
• 50 g ghee, clarified butter; plus extra to finish
• For the garnish
• 1 tsp green cardamom, pods cracked, seeds ground
• 30 g cashews, raw, halved
• 20 g raisins

Method

1. 1
   Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat but keep the syrup warm. The syrup must be ready and warm before the semolina finishes roasting.
2. 2
   Melt the ghee in a wide, heavy pan over moderate heat. Add the semolina in a single pour. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula, ensuring every grain is coated in ghee. Do not raise the heat. Roast, stirring without pause, until the semolina turns an even, deep golden colour and emits a pronounced nutty, toasted aroma — pale semolina signals the Maillard reaction is incomplete and must not proceed to the next step.
3. 3
   With the pan still on the heat and one hand guarding against the steam, pour the warm syrup into the roasted semolina all at once. The mixture will sizzle and steam violently. Begin stirring immediately and without stopping — clumps form within seconds if the spoon pauses. Stir continuously until the semolina has absorbed all the liquid and the mass pulls cleanly away from the sides and base of the pan in a single cohesive body.
4. 4
   Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the ground cardamom, cashews, and raisins. Add a further knob of ghee and fold it through — the finished halwa should carry a light, glossy sheen on its surface, indicating correct fat absorption. Serve warm.