Then lower the heat as needed. Remove from heat once the semolina is well roasted and has turned deep golden in color. You can also continue on to the next step while roasting the semolina.

In a small to medium saucepan, bring the water, sugar, chironji and cardamom pods to a boil. Stir, and allow to simmer until the sugar is dissolved, and then remove from heat and add the rose water and saffron.

Place the semolina mixture back over medium heat. Stir this sugar syrup carefully into the browned semolina. Continue to stir for 3-4 minutes (you'll need to stir an extra 2-3 minutes if you used the larger quantity of water), until the mixture thickens, loses most of its moisture, and the butter starts to separate from the semolina. Sometimes I like to add a dollop of ghee at this point to give it a nice finish.
Garnish with slivered almonds (or other garnishings) and serve warm.

#Tips:

The amount of water will determine the texture. If you want it to be more grainy to be eaten alone, use 2 cups of water. If you want softer and thicker halwa like the one used for ‘halwa poori’, add more 1/2 cup of water.

This is the minimum amount of sugar. If you’re using more water, you may need 1-2 tblsp more than this.