Brown Sooji Ka Halwa

Well, a sooji-ka-halwa (semolina pudding) is a sooji-ka-halwa and it’s always brown, isn’t it? Then why a special mention of this halwa in a blog?

Read on…..for this is no ordinary halwa!

To begin with, this is the most yummm……..azing halwa that anyone has ever made and secondly, it’s a magic potion……a divine intervention between many an emotional outburst especially when my girls were growing up.

Yummazing?……..yes, absolutely fabulous…….miniature pearl-like semolina steeped in water and then doused in a mixture of caramelized sugar and oh-so-heavenly pure ghee, the three further being amalgamated into a perfectly gooey, rich halwa, with every spoonful biting into an assortment of cashew, raisins and almonds, to complete its royal legacy.

Food fit for the Gods……and of course for my two little chicklets!

Ok, now the name is a bit too long, so let’s just abbreviate it (like they do in Bollywood) to BSKH…….now, this is a recipe which I got by coincidence from a dear friend who's not very sure where she got it from. Anyway, after a lot of trial and tribulation, I finally managed to get it right, so much so that BSKH won the first prize in a Dessert Competition at the Ladies Club in Sri Ganganagar……much to the chagrin of many an envious member. 

“How can a simpleton like sooji-ka-halwa beat our exotic soufflés, mousse and tipsy’s?”, whisper many of them behind my back. Some even suggest I’ve added dalda instead of pure ghee……..but no, my BSKH emanates the most fragrant smell of pure ghee which the judges can sniff even from a distance! Other envious pigeons even have the audacity to call it ‘Ulta Halwa’!

Anyway, my BSKH wins hands down in every category……I told you she’s no ordinary halwa, didn’t I?

“I’m making BSKH for breakfast”, I shout from the kitchen door on a lazy Sunday morning….. a tornado’s just hit the house……….. my two chicklets jump out of their deep slumber……. brush, brush, brush…..wash, wash, wash…..my two beauties are already on the breakfast table……BSKH does that, you know!

My younger brat? Well, she’s a super-observant, sharp little chicklet especially when it comes to her favourite BSKH. You can’t fool this one by passing off an ordinary halwa as BSKH. No, you can’t!  I tried that once, and………. her cold, accusing stare haunted me for nights on end! Just the thought of that horrible morning sends a shiver down my spine!

Mother’s comrade in arms?

BSKH! Hip….Hip…..Hurrah!

Way to mom-in-law’s heart?

A bowl of piping hot BSKH!

Stressful day of math and physics tuitions?

BSKH, THE STRESS BUSTER

Board exams?      

Hard day at work? (in the busy newsroom of a TV channel)

BSKH, THE ENERGY BOOSTER

Sudden, unexpected guests for dinner?

BSKH, THE SAVIOUR DESSERT

Homesick?

BSKH, THE VIA DUCT

(bridging the gap between hostel and home…. sent to Chennai by air through close friends many times)

Married daughter visiting?

A BSKH WELCOME

Married daughter leaving?

A TEARFUL BSKH FAREWELL

Need I say more?

BSKH is a halwa-extraordinaire, isn’t it?

Now, a solemn pledge to be taken by all halwa enthusiasts before I part with my magic potion……

I solemnly pledge that I will:

• treat bskh with utmost reverence.  
• offer a short prayer before I put it together.  
• offer a prayer of thanksgiving after it is made. 
• use only pure ghee and not saturated fats or refined oil. 
• use pure ghee liberally. 
• be liberal with the use of dry fruits. 
• be calm and composed while preparing it. 
• not use un-parliamentary language should things go wrong. 
• never pass off ordinary halwa as bskh. 
• share bskh with family and friends.
• appreciate it, whatever may be the end result.     

Ingredients
Semolina (Sooji)                           1 cup
Sugar                                             1 1/2 cups
Ghee                                              1 cup
Water                                             about 1 cup, enough to cover sooji

Chopped dry fruits                        a liberal quantity

Method

1. Soak sooji in water and keep aside.
2. Heat ghee in a deep kadai -do not overheat.
3. Add sugar to the ghee and allow to caramelize to a golden brown. Take care, this is a tricky step as sugar caramalizes very fast. Don't take your eyes off the pan.
4. Turn heat to low.
5. Pour the soaked sooji with the water into the sugar-ghee mixture while simultaneously stirring briskly. This is the trickiest step as you may find lumps forming. Don't panic, the ghee's role now comes into play.
6. Keep stirring the mass of sooji while allowing the ghee to get incorporated well. Break lumps if any.
7. Add the chopped nuts and mix well.
8. Serve garnished with slivered almonds.