Pistachio Cardamom Semolina Halwa Recipe
This traditional Halwa recipe is a rich and fragrant Indian dessert made with semolina, ghee, sugar, and cardamom, garnished with chopped pistachios. The semolina is toasted in ghee and combined with a fragrant sugar syrup infused with cardamom, resulting in a luscious, piping-hot dessert often enjoyed with puris or parathas.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup Ingredients
- 250ml water
- 100g caster sugar
- Few drops of orange food colouring (optional)
- 6 cardamom pods (seeds removed and husks separated)
Halwa Mixture
- 100g ghee
- 50g pistachios, chopped
- 175g semolina (coarse or fine)
To Serve (Optional)
- Puris or parathas
Instructions
- Prepare the sugar syrup: Heat 250ml water in a pan until boiling, then stir in the caster sugar and food colouring if using. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and keep the husks. Add 3 cardamom husks to the pan and boil the mixture for several minutes to infuse the flavor. Transfer this hot syrup to a heatproof jug or bowl to keep warm.
- Toast semolina and nuts: In the same pan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the remaining 3 cardamom husks and chopped pistachios, frying them for about 1 minute until aromatic. Add the semolina and toast it for several minutes, stirring frequently to ensure it turns a light golden color without burning, enhancing the nutty flavor.
- Combine syrup with semolina mixture: Carefully pour the hot sugar syrup back into the pan with the toasted semolina, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Cook while stirring until the liquid has been fully absorbed and the halwa thickens and holds together easily.
- Finish and serve: Remove and discard the cardamom husks. Serve the halwa hot on its own or accompanied by puris or parathas for a traditional experience.
Notes
- Using coarse semolina gives a more textured halwa, while fine semolina creates a smoother consistency.
- Orange food colouring is optional; it gives the halwa a rich, traditional color but does not affect flavor.
- Ensure constant stirring when adding the syrup to prevent clumping and burning.
- Ghee enriches the flavor significantly; substituting it with butter will change the traditional taste.
- Halwa is best enjoyed fresh and hot for the ideal texture and warmth.
Keywords: Halwa, Indian dessert, Semolina halwa, Ghee dessert, Cardamom halwa, Pistachio halwa
