The creamiest Coconut Halwa or Coconut Sheera is perfect for Indian festivals such as Diwali or special occasions. You can easily prepare this creamy halwa with semolina (sooji) and coconut milk.
Ingredients
Semolina – I used fine white semolina. You can also use coarse semolina/rawa/suji.
Coconut Milk – we used thick variety.
Desiccated Coconut
Mawa – I used homemade mawa/khoya
Sugar – white granulated sugar
Ghee – I used homemade desi ghee
Saffron – 10/12 threads soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
Mixed nuts – Charoli, and Pistachios and Almonds (slivered)
Cardamom Powder
Tips for Nariyal Ka Halwa Recipe
Keep the heat low when roasting the semolina and take your time with roasting it
Wait until the semolina turns light pink and aromatic. You can then move onto the next step.
Use full-fat versions of the ingredients for the creamiest halwa.
Serving and Storing:
You can make this siro in advance. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days – keep away from other strong-smelling food
Serve either warm or at room temperature for the best flavour.
This siro or halwa can be served as Prasad for any holy occasions or ceremonies.
Also can be served as dessert after having a spicy Indian meal or served in a Gujarati Thali .
Sometimes we pair it with Aloo Chole (potato and chickpea curry without onion-garlic) and Poori (deep-fried Indian flatbreads) for Sunday brunch.
Other Halwa Recipes and Semolina Recipes
Garvanu (Gujarati semolina kheer)
Chocolate Passionfruit Semolina cake
Sooji Gujiya
Instant Pot Dudhi Halwa
Masoor Daal Halwa
Habshi Halwa
Pistachio Halwa
COCONUT HALWA | SOOJI NARIYAL KA HALWA
Ingredients
- ½ cup semolina
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup ghee + 1 tbsp
- ½ cupkhoya - milk solid used home made
- 3-4 tbsp desiccated or fresh grated coconut
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 cup of plain water
- 10-12 threads of saffron soaked in 1 tsp. milk
- ½ tsp cardamom seed powder
- 2-3 tbsp slivered almonds and pistachios to decorate
- 1 tbsp. Cuddapah Almonds.
- Kadai or heavy-based frying pan
- Spatula
Instructions
- Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan, just one boil enough. Don’t need to make syrup.
- Heat ghee in the heavy bottom pan and start roasting semolina.
- Keep the heat very low and stir continuously to prevent any burn or sticking at the bottom of the pan.
- It will take about 8-9 minutes, roast till semolina gets very light brown colour.
- Add sugar water and khoya and keep mixing making sure there are no lumps.
- Now add charoli and cashew nuts, coconut and coconut milk, keep mixing till you see ghee separating from the mixture.
- Now add cardamom powder, and add saffron water and 1 tbsp ghee.
- Cook another minute or so and turn off the heat.
- Transfer in a serving bowl or plate and garnish with slivered nuts.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Note:- This post was originally posted on 10th August 2013, since I have updated with more content and images. The recipe remains the same.
COCONUT HALWA | SOOJI NARIYAL KA HALWA
Ingredients
- ½ cup semolina
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup ghee + 1 tbsp
- ½ cupkhoya - milk solid used home made
- 3-4 tbsp desiccated or fresh grated coconut
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 cup of plain water
- 10-12 threads of saffron soaked in 1 tsp. milk
- ½ tsp cardamom seed powder
- 2-3 tbsp slivered almonds and pistachios to decorate
- 1 tbsp. Cuddapah Almonds.
- Kadai or heavy-based frying pan
- Spatula
Instructions
- Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan, just one boil enough. Don’t need to make syrup.
- Heat ghee in the heavy bottom pan and start roasting semolina.
- Keep the heat very low and stir continuously to prevent any burn or sticking at the bottom of the pan.
- It will take about 8-9 minutes, roast till semolina gets very light brown colour.
- Add sugar water and khoya and keep mixing making sure there are no lumps.
- Now add charoli and cashew nuts, coconut and coconut milk, keep mixing till you see ghee separating from the mixture.
- Now add cardamom powder, and add saffron water and 1 tbsp ghee.
- Cook another minute or so and turn off the heat.
- Transfer in a serving bowl or plate and garnish with slivered nuts.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Sultani Dal. Think of it as a dal that is dressed for a wedding. Toor dal is simmered with cream and yogurt and finished with saffron. It is smooth, mellow, and gently aromatic.
Sultani Dal is a creamy lentil dish that brings the elegance of Mughal kitchens to your table. Though often described as a Nawabi or Mughlai classic, this luxurious dal is more a modern interpretation you’d find in restaurants rather than the history books.
Therefore, the recipe is pretty open to interpretation, there’s no one way to make it.
What makes my version different?
It’s the balance between being rich and overly indulgent. Sultani Dal should taste luxurious, not heavy. Instead of relying solely on cream or butter, I use a delicate blend of yogurt, milk, cream and saffron to keep it light.
We love Gujarati toor dal day-to-day in our house but this is our go-to recipe for special occasions. We love eating it around festivities such as Diwali or celebratory dinner parties.
As it’s delicate, it is easier to pair with rich curries like vegetable paneer makkhanwala .
If you are looking for something stronger and robust but with a royal touch, try my dal maharani .
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Toor Dal (Split Pigeon Peas) – this creamy dal is the base. Once boiled it becomes soft and silky.
Ghee – a signature of royal kitchens. Ghee adds depth and aroma, especially when used in the final tempering. It carries the flavour of spices beautifully and makes the dal feel indulgent. I use homemade ghee made from unsalted butter .
Whole spices – green cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon bark which are boiled with the dal to infuse the flavour
Cumin seeds – a key whole spice in the tempering. Cumin’s earthy warmth offsets the sweetness of the dairy and adds a welcome pop of aroma.
Spice powders – red chilli powder, turmeric powder and hing
Ginger garlic paste – adds warmth. It’s directly boiled with the dal so that the flavours mellow.
Green chillies – balances the richness with gentle heat. I use them sliced rather than chopped for a more elegant presentation.
Milk, yogurt & cream – This trio builds the sultani richness. I use whole milk to lighten and add smoothness. Full fat plain yogurt adds tang and fresh cream adds silkiness.
Saffron – the royal touch. Steeped in warm milk before being stirred in, saffron lends not just golden colour but subtle floral warmth that takes this dal from comforting to celebratory.
And to serve with – fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges .
Other Dal Recipes
Dhaba Style Dal Fry
Dal Makhani
Garlicky Moong Dal with Carrot Greens
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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- YouTube
Sultani Dal
Ingredients
- 150 gram toor daal
- 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic puree
- 4 green Cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 1 bay Leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red Chilli Powder
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup single cream
- 3 tablespoon yogurt
- 10-12 strands saffron
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon cumin Seeds
- pinch asafoetida hing
- 2 green chillies
- 2 tablespoon coriander
Instructions
- Wash the dal under running clean water.
- To your pressure cooker or instant pot, add the washed toor dal, cardamom, clove, bay leaf, cinnamon, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
- Add around 500 – 600 mls of water.
- Close the lid and HIGH pressure cook for 7 minutes or 3-4 whistles in a stove top pressure cooker. After 10 minutes NPR, release the pressure manually.
- Remove the whole spices and add more water if needed.
- Blend the dal with a hand blender until smooth.
- Whisk together yogurt, milk and cream in a small bowl and add into the daal. Also tip back in the whole spices which were removed before.
- Add saffron threads.
- Select SAUTE mode and cook the dal for 5-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare a vaghar. In a small pan, heat ghee, add the cumin and hing. Once the seeds splutter, add slit green chillies.
- Pour the vaghar over the cooked dal.
- Garnish the dal with finely chopped coriander.
Video
Notes
- In a saucepan, add the the toor dal along with 2 cups of clean water and cardamom, cloves, cinnamon/cassia bark, bay leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, and the ginger and garlic puree.
- Simmer the dal until soft and mushy (it will take between 35-40 minutes). Check the water level throughout and if needed add half a cup water while cooking.
- Continue with the recipe highlighted above.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
