Halwa Puri: Pakistani Style Semolina Pudding And Fried Flatbread

Halwa Puri

Halwa Puri is a unique comfort food in Indian and Pakistani cuisines. The name is for the sweet Halwa, made of semolina, and the savory Puri, a fried flatbread. 

Traditionally, this combo menu is often for breakfast, brunch, or snacks. It is also commonly served at happy occasions and celebrations such as religious festivities, weddings, etc. And, of course, it is one of the sought-after street foods in Pakistan and India. 

How to enjoy

Sometimes, people also have Aloo Chana (potato and chickpea curry) with Halwa Puri.

These three dish combinations were the ones that I always had from the very first time. 

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And I think this is best. Because some people who prefer savory can choose a combination of flatbread and chana (chickpeas). As for those who love sweets, they can enjoy the flatbread with the Halwa. 

But those who like both savory and sweet (like me) can always go for both choices. I think this menu is a clever mix. 

The first time I tried this delicious food, I was amazed at how the fried flatbread marries well with the sweet Halwa. And when it comes to pairing it with Chana, it is simply delicious. 

The downside of eating Halwa Puri is that it is moreish, and you’ll feel guilty afterward. Because, like it or not, we must admit that eating too much deep-fried food is not healthy, is it? 

So, I’d say, let’s make this flavourful dish combo for when we like a treat for ourselves. It is like one lazy weekend after a long, busy week. But not every week, though.

And this post will tell you how to make Halwa Puri easily and quickly.

Key Ingredients

There are many types of Halwa, but the one you enjoy with puris is Sooji Halwa, Suji ka Halwa, or Suji Halwa – which all means semolina pudding.  And this recipe will teach you how to make Suji Halwa. Therefore, the key ingredient for this is semolina. You can add nuts and raisins to your semolina pudding. The popular ones are almonds and pistachios. 

To make Puri/ Poori, you can use plain flour/ all-purpose flour, but add two teaspoons of baking powder to 1 cup of plain flour. Otherwise, your puris will be crispy and dry instead of soft and puffy.

You can also use regular Chapati flour/ atta. And in this recipe, I use medium atta/ Chapati flour.

Please note that this recipe is forgiving when it comes to flavor. I mean, this recipe will give you a deliciously sweet enough Halwa. But for the sweet tooth, you are welcome to add more sugar.

The same thing goes for the flavoring. Most Indians and Pakistanis put spices in their Halwa. At the very least, they use green Cardamom seeds. However, this is not a must. You can skip it if you’re not keen. I sometimes use green Cardamoms. Other times, I don’t.

Other ingredients for halwa are milk, sugar, and butter. And if you like, add a tablespoon or two of ghee towards the end of cooking. 

Equipment you need

• Cooking pot. I prefer stainless steel as its heat distribution is better for frying semolina flour.
• Wooden spoon.
• Mixing bowl.
• Large chopping board.
• Rolling pin.
• Large wok.

How to Make Halwa Puri

First, you make the semolina pudding. Fry the semolina without oil on a pan until it releases an aroma and its color turns slightly darker. And then add the butter in, followed by sugar.  

Once the sugar has fully melted, you put the nuts and milk in. You will get a soft porridge-like semolina mixture at this point. Just cook until all the liquid evaporates, and you get a thick Halwa. 

You can stop cooking when it gets to the consistency that you like. I like the softer texture. So I turn the heat down when I see the milk and butter disappear, yet the semolina mixture is slightly wet and soft. 

Towards the end, add one or two tablespoons of ghee or extra butter to make the Halwa taste richer and yummier. But it is optional.

How to make puri

Next, you make the puri. Mix the atta/ chapati flour with water and work on it until you get a nice smooth dough. 

Divide the dough into equal small balls. After that, you roll the balls into a flat circular dough shape. To make it easy to fry the flatbread, you would want to roll it out into small circles, something like 13 cm/ 5.11 inches to 15 cm/ 5.9 inches in diameter.

Then, heat the oil in a large frying pan or a wok at medium heat. Test the oil by frying a pinch of dough. The oil is ready if it fries steadily but not too quickly. 

Carefully lay or slide one rolled-out dough circle into the oil. Using the utensil, spoon the oil over the dough. You can press it gently with the utensil. The dough will puff up.

When it is puffed up, turn the dough and make sure you don’t break it. Because you don’t want the oil to go inside your puri. 

Once the puri turns golden, you can take it out and let it rest on a kitchen towel. 

Tips to make the best-tasting Halwa Puri

• Keep stirring the semolina while you roast it in the pan. You want to make sure it’s evenly cooked. And do so until the grains turn color and smell toasty.
• When making Puri, you want to make the dough as you would for chapati. The texture of your dough will be pliable and soft enough to work. 
• Try to work quickly with the dough so you don’t have to use too much flour for dusting. 
• The thinner the flatbread, the better it fries and puffs up nicely. I would aim to get about 2 mm in thickness. 

More sweet recipes in Pakistani style

If you need more ideas for Pakistani sweet recipes, you can try Gajar Ka Halwa (carrot halwa), Besan barfi (chickpea fudge), Besan ladoo (chickpea flour sweet balls), or Kheer (rice pudding).

I hope you are now interested in trying this Halwa Puri recipe. If you do, it would be great if you could share what you think about it in the comments below.

Last but not least, please follow me on Facebook, Instagram and/or Pinterest. To sneak a peek at what’s cooking in my kitchen. 

Take care and all the best.

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4.99 from 92 votes

Halwa Puri

Halwa Puri is a delicious treat for lazy breakfast or brunch.

Author: Devy Dar

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast & Brunch

Cuisine: Pakistani

Servings: 6

Equipment

• Mixing bowls.
• Frying pan or
• Wok.
• Slotted spoon
• Cooking pan
• Wooden spoon

1x2x3x

Cook ModeKeep your screen on

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

For the halwa:

• ▢ 1 cup coarse semolina.
• ▢ ½ cup sugar.
• ▢ 2 ⅓ sticks salted butter.
• ▢ 2.5 cups whole milk.
• ▢ A handful of mixed nuts chopped. (see the note).
• ▢ 3-4 green cardamoms optional.
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons ghee optional.

For the puri:

• ▢ 1- cup Atta flour chapati flour.
• ▢ ½ cup + 1 tbsp water.
• ▢ ½ teaspoon oil + extra for greasing.
• ▢ Oil for frying.

Instructions

To make Halwa:

• Put the semolina on a cooking pan, and dry-fry at moderate-high heat. Take care and keep stirring to ensure the semolina is evenly cooked.
• When the semolina releases an aroma and turns in a slightly darker colour, put the butter in. Mix well until all the butter melts. You will see the semolina soaked in melted butter. It’s okay. You can put the green cardamom seeds at this point if using.
• Then add in the sugar, stir and cook until it melts.
• Next, put the chopped nuts, stir well. 
• Lastly, pour the milk in slowly as you stir it carefully. The mixture will be very wet. Don’t worry. Just keep mixing and cooking until the liquid all disappears.
• You can then stir the ghee in while the Halwa is still piping hot if using.

To make Puri:

• Put the flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in a centre, then pour the water and oil in. Using your hand, mix it and knead lightly, until you get a smooth and pliable dough. When you finish kneading, roll and shape the dough into a ball and grease its surface with a little oil. Leave it to rest in the mixing bowl and cover it with a tea towel for about 20-30 minutes. 
• When you are ready to cook the Puri, divide and shape the dough into six equal-sized small balls. Then roll them into a circular shape about 12-15 cm in diameter with around 2 mm thickness. You can use a little flour for dusting to make the rolling easy. But take care not to use too much as the flour dust can cause the oil cloudy. 
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or a wok at moderate-high heat. Test the oil temperature by frying a little piece of dough. If it’s frying right away, your oil is ready.
• Once the oil is hot and ready, carefully slide the rolled dough into the oil. Using a slotted turner, try to keep pouring the oil over the surface of the dough. And gently press into the oil, the part of the flatbread that has not puffed up.
• Your Puri is ready when it turns light golden. 

Notes

• Traditionally, almonds and pistachios are the most popular choice of nuts for Halwa.
• You can use green cardamom seeds for a more traditional flavour. Just crush the cardamoms and the seeds out. You can also put the whole cardamoms if you prefer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 719kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 345mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g

Disclaimer

Nutritional info in this recipe is only estimate using online calculator. You should refer to it as a guide only. Please verify with your own data if you seek an accurate info.