Haluva

1/3 C. butter or ghee
1 C. semolina, farina or cream of wheat
1/4 C. raisin
3 C. hot water
1.5 C. white sugar

Melt butter and add semolina; stir until it becomes a light almond color. Then add raisins; after one minute, add half of the hot water and stir. Immediately add sugar and the remaining water. Keep stirring slowly, but constantly, until haluva pulls away from the sides of the pot. Remove from heat and continue stirring for a minute until some of the steam escapes. Then Haluva is ready for offering.

Although it is not necessary to add any nuts or fruits in the Haluva, if desired, it can be made with nuts and/or dry fruits, but they need to be fried longer than the raisins. If the juice of one lemon is added to the hot water, it becomes more flavorful.

Variations: When Haluva is made from ordinary chapati flour, then the same amount of ghee and twice the water is used. The rest of recipe is the same.

If pineapple is to be mixed for a better flavor, then it should be blended and mixed with water, then brought to a boil. The total liquid mixture of pineapple and water should not exceed four times the semolina. The rest of the procedure is the same as the ordinary haluva. The quantity of sugar can be adjusted as per a person's taste.

Medicinal use: Haluva is very good, if properly made, to help cure the common cold. But after eating it, one should not drink any water for at least three hours. If Haluva is eaten a few times, it will surely cure the cold without any medicine. It is also an instant energy-giving preparation.