Spiced Suji Halwa

Heat a pan and dry roast the black and green cardamoms, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon until they release their aromatic fragrance. Once they become fragrant, turn off the heat and transfer the roasted spices to a plate. Set them aside for later use.

Heat 4 cups water in a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add the roasted spices, ground cinnamon, nutmeg powder and turmeric. Stir well and bring the water to a boil. Switch off the heat, cover the pot, and set it aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat.

Once the ghee is hot, add the suji to the pan and stir continuously. Cook the suji until it turns golden brown (approx. 10 minutes).

Carefully add the hot spiced water to the pan (Remove the whole spices from the water before adding). Stir continuously to ensure that there are no lumps.

Reduce the heat to low-medium and let the suji cook for a few minutes until the water is absorbed.

Add the brown sugar and stir thoroughly. Continuously stir the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency and the ghee begins to release to the surface.

Add the chopped almonds and raisins to the pan and mix well.

Transfer the suji halwa to a serving bowl. Sprinkle chopped almonds over the halwa for garnishing. Add a delicate sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper on top.

Serve the dish hot.