Suji and Carrot Halwa
Assalamualaikum! How are you all? I hope you’re doing well.
It had been quite a while since I had a craving to make and eat something sweet, so I thought, why not make a dessert? I also had some carrots at home, so I thought I would make something sweet with them. We had guests over as well, so I made it for them too. I actually made a good quantity so that I could freeze some for later use.
One of my favourite sweets is Suji and Carrot Halwa, which I make quite often. And this time, it turned out absolutely perfect! The recipe and quantities were just right, and the sweetness was very well balanced. So, let me tell you about the ingredients.
Ingredients
- Almost 0.7 kg suji (semolina)
- 2 to 3 cups sugar — I used around 2½ cups
- 2 cups ghee
- half cup raisins
- 2–3 grated carrots
- 4–5 cardamom pods
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- Almonds or any other dry fruits of your choice
You can also add any nuts or dry fruits according to your preference.
Making
First, take a pot and add the ghee. I used around 2 cups of ghee. Keep the flame on medium to low so that the suji does not stick or burn at the bottom.
First, add the cardamom to the ghee. I like to let it cook for a little while so that its beautiful aroma and fragrance comes out. Then add the suji.
Roast the suji well for around 5–6 minutes. When you start getting that lovely, slightly nutty fragrance from the suji, that is when you know it is ready for the next step.
Some people fry the carrots separately and then mix them into the suji, but I simply added the grated carrots directly on top.
The important thing about carrots is that they release water while cooking. This water helps the suji cook gradually. However, during this process, you have to keep stirring continuously so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
Suji has a tendency to stick very quickly if you leave it
unattended, so keep stirring it over a low flame.
As soon as you feel that the carrots have softened, add the sugar.
I used around 2½ cups of sugar. Once the sugar starts melting and mixing into the halwa, you will notice the sweetness beginning to develop.
Then add 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of water. Keep stirring everything well.
At this stage, you will notice the mixture starting to thicken and become sticky. Gradually, it will begin coming together and taking the proper consistency of halwa.
Let it cook properly while continuing to stir. Then add raisins, almonds, and any other dry fruits you like. Some people also add coconut or khoya, depending on their preference.
Finally, cover the pot and let the halwa cook on dum for around 10–15 minutes. This allows the suji to cook properly from the inside, absorb the ghee, and allows the carrots to become completely soft. It also helps all the sweetness and flavours blend together beautifully.
And that’s our recipe!
My Experience
I absolutely love suji halwa, especially when it is combined with carrots. There are also different versions of it, such as brown suji halwa, and some people add coconut or khoya to it. I honestly love all of these variations.
But the one I made this time was the best suji halwa I have ever made!
I added my favourite nuts and ingredients according to my own taste, and the sweetness was perfectly balanced. It was neither too sweet nor too bland, so there was absolutely no need to add extra sugar.
Everyone really enjoyed it. I served it to my guests, had some myself, and also sent some to my neighbours, and everyone loved it.
I had a little leftover, so I froze it for later.
Result
The result was a delicious, completely homemade dessert. Even when you make a relatively small quantity, it can turn into quite a lot of halwa, so instead of buying it from outside, you can easily make it at home.
It is also a great option when you want something hygienic and homemade, especially for children. If you are trying to help your children gain weight, a nutritious homemade dessert like this can be a useful addition to their diet.
You can enjoy it yourself, serve it to your family and guests, and make it hygienically at home. And if you cook it in desi ghee, the taste becomes even richer and more delicious, while adding to its nutritional value.
Thank you so much, everyone, for reading and supporting me. I’ll be back next time with another new recipe.
Thank you, and Allah Hafiz!