Suji Ka halva

So Today,The 2nd of November 2009.

Is Gurpurb.



"What on earth is Gurpurb?" I hear ye ask.

Well people,Gurpurb is the celebration of the birth of the first Guru ji,Guru Nanak Dev (One of the Sikh Teachers). There are many Gurpurbs through out the year,some celebrating the birth,others celebrating the martydom of the guru's.





So erm,We sort of celebrate it like Diwali & a little bit like Xmas.

So what says Festivities better than something sweet?!

Suji Ka Halva!!

Mmm Mmm!!



Basically this is a super sweet, super rich semolina pudding. I know your probably thinking of this pale lump of gooey slop with a blob of jam in the middle,But your wrong!! this is nothing like it!!

It is like oral heaven!!



I made mine Orange! because my family always do,im not sure if this is a traditional thing or what!

Theres a million and one recipes for this,some call for condensed milk and some called for wholemeal flour,but mine doesn't so hmph!



It's extremely rich,Being Punjabi and prone to things like Diabetes and Heart disease i cut back on the sugar and butter used in this recipe.



Right here it Goes,



50g Coarse Semolina

35g Butter

1 1/2 Pints of water

85g Granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon Orange food colouring (if you want)

4 Cardamom pods ( you can use a teaspoon of cardamom powder if you wish)

10g Golden Raisins

10g Cashews (Raw unsalted!)

Pistachio's & Blanched almonds & sliced coconut To decorate,if your feeling fabulously fancy you can use that edible silver stuff!

Method;



In a Pan add your sugar,water,food colouring and cardamom. Heat it slowly until boiled.

Meanwhile....

In a largish pan (The semolina doubles in size!) Add your butter and slowly melt the butter make sure it is not to hot because you will burn the butter and end up with a mess.

Add you semolina,And stir,do not stop stirring because if you do,terrible things will happen! (okay i lied,it will probably over cook in some parts and you will end up with the lumpy stuff you get for school dinners!)

Also do not turn up the heat,i know it is tempting!

Slowly cook out the semolina,until you can smell the butter,The butter will also seem to separate from the mix,keep stirring!

When the semolina seems to be a tad darker (not burnt,just a little golden),Add your water mixture(Sloooowwwllly)! it will bubble and spit so be careful!

Okay so now you have this orange sloppy watery mixture,but Dont worry!

Add your cashews and raising,And slowly keep mixing and it will eventually thicken

When it is at a dropping consistency take it off the heat.

It will thicken as it cools!

You can freeze this and reheat it as you wish its lovely!

pour into a bowl and garnish however you please.You can pick out the cardamom pods too!(unless you like chewing on them!!)



Mmm mm.