Method
- Toast the semolina in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until pale gold and aromatic. Cool.
- In a heavy pot, combine coconut milk, palm sugar and white sugar. Heat over medium-low until the sugars dissolve. Don't boil hard.
- Whisk in toasted semolina gradually. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens into a stiff porridge.
- Off the heat, whisk in beaten eggs one at a time, then ghee, cardamom, salt and raisins. The mixture should be thick and pourable.
- Pour into a greased 22cm × 22cm baking pan. Smooth the surface. Top with slivered almonds, poppy seeds and sesame seeds.
- Bake at 180°C for 35 minutes — the surface should turn deep golden and a skewer should come out clean. Cool completely. Cut into squares. Serve with hot Burmese tea.
Common questions
Can Sanwin Makin be made ahead?
Sanwin Makin is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 60 minutes.
Is Sanwin Makin spicy?
Sanwin Makin as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Sanwin Makin vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe is suitable for most diets. If you have specific restrictions, the substitutions section in each ingredient note covers the most common swaps.
How hard is Sanwin Makin to make at home?
Sanwin Makin sits at intermediate difficulty — total time about 75 minutes. The ingredients are not unusual but the timing requires attention.
Can Sanwin Makin be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 8 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Sanwin makin is the Burmese semolina cake — a tea-shop staple, sold in giant pans cut into squares. The dish came to Burma via Indian Muslim merchants who introduced semolina; the Burmese version added coconut milk and palm sugar to make it distinctly local. The cake is also celebratory food at Burmese New Year (Thingyan) and Buddhist festival days. The poppy-seed topping is the visual signature; without it, the dish reads as an Indian halwa rather than Burmese sanwin makin. Tea shops often display the cake prominently to entice customers.
