Bombay Halwa

Loved having this brightly colored sweet from Pullareddy Sweets. With uncles and aunts dropping in on special occasions bringing boxes of assorted sweets, and waiting our turn hoping we would still get to this sweet...




Ingredients:
(Makes 16 pieces)
Fine sooji: 1 cup (Upma rava)
Sugar: 1 cup
Ghee: 1 cup
Almonds: 1 cup (blanched and chopped, qty can be reduced as per taste)
Citric acid powder: 1/4 tsp
Elaichi powder: 1/2 tsp (Cardamom powder)
Orange or Green Color, if desired





Method:
Soak the sooji in water for about 90 minutes, cleaning the sooji and replacing the water ad kneading the sooji about 4 to 5 times in between.
Drain as much water as possible.
Blend till the batter resembles dosa batter consistency.
In a thick bottomed saucepan, heat the ghee.
Roast the almonds lightly, and remove from ghee. Their color shouldn't change.
Let the ghee cool down.
Add the sooji batter to the ghee and mix well.
Heat on a low flame till the batter thickens and forms a white lump.
When ghee starts oozing out of the batter, add the sugar.
The batter will soften again. Mix well till the batter thickens into a lump once more.
At this point, add the elaichi powder and the citric acid. Mix well.
Turn off the flame and add the color, if needed. Add the almonds. Mix
Layer on a well greased pan and cut partially while still warm.
Wrap in individual wrappers once the halwa cools down