Shooji (sooji), can go by a few different names. Haloowa (halwa) and Shira are a couple of others. What it is, essentially, is the Indian equivalent of Cream of Wheat. In Indian culture, this is a dessert and is often times seen made for pujas (religious ceremonies). We eat it a lot for breakfast. It is especially good rolled up in a loochi, or puri (deep-fried breads) 🙂 This recipe has a very special place in my heart. Although it was something I had a lot while growing up, it is not the nostalgia of my childhood that gets me with this, it’s not even the actual dish. It is the nostalgia I already feel for when my son grows up and his excitement on the mornings I make shooji will be a thing of the past. On the mornings that I make shooji, my son is always so happy because I will set aside some of the warm milk for him. Having a cup of warm milk with the shooji is a treat for him. Just seeing the joy on his face from something so simple, something that is not a video game, toy or gadget, melts my heart.
Okay, okay. I know, enough with the being sappy. Please enjoy the recipe. I hope that it will warm your heart and soul.
Ingredients:
4 cups Milk
2 cups Sooji
2 tbsp. Butter or Ghee
½ tsp. Salt
4 tbsp. Brown sugar
Directions:
1.Warm milk in a saucepan. It does not need to be boiled, just warmed up.
2.Melt butter or ghee in a pan over medium-low heat.
3. Add shooji, brown sugar, and salt, to the butter/ghee. Combine completely. Stir while toasting for 3-4 minutes. Turn heat down to low.
4. Add a little bit of milk in at a time. Stir in with the shooji. Continue to slowly add milk and stir until all of the milk has been absorbed.
5. Garnish with chopped almonds. Enjoy warm or cold.
Optional Add-in Ingredients:
Sliced or chopped almonds
Coconut Flakes
Cardamom Powder
Golden Raisins
If you choose to add almonds, coconut flakes, or cardamom powder, these ingredients should be toasted with the other dry ingredients before adding the warm milk. In the recipe you see photos for here, I added 4 tablespoons of coconut flakes and a ½ tablespoon of cardamom powder.