I was inspired to make this Gur aur Suji ka Halwa (or Gulacha Sheera as it is called in Marathi) because of my friend Mohna. She posted this a few weeks ago on a WhatsApp group we are both a part of and I was waiting to male it ever since.
I normally make Sheera (Suji Halwa) with sugar but in recent times have cut down sugar quite a bit so this option with jaggery was very appealing. I find that eating even a little of a jaggery-based sweet tends to satisfy the craving for a dessert while sugar-based sweets make me crave for more.
The process for making this dessert remains exactly the same as the sugar-based version. You only swap sugar for grated jaggery.
With a 1:1 proportion of rava and jaggery, you get just the right touch of sweetness. You can always increase the amount of jaggery if you wish for more sweetness.
Do also try my recipes for:
- Banana Sheera | Sapata | Prasadacha Sheera (Sri Satyanarayana Pooja Maha Prasadam)
- Mango Sheera | Amba Sheera
- Rava Kesari – Guest Post for Feeding The Sonis
- Pineapple Kesari | Pineapple Sheera
- Apple Cinnamon Sheera (Apple Pie Inspired Semolina Pudding)
- Fragrant Coconut Sheera with Candied Lemon Peel
Recipe for Gulacha Sheera | Gur aur Suji ka Halwa | Semolina and Jaggery Halwa
Gur aur Suji ka Halwa | Gulacha Sheera
Equipment
- Wok or Kadhai
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Rava or Semolina (~100 gms)
- 1/2 Cup Grated Jaggery (~100 gms)
- 1 Cup Water
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder (Or The Tiniest Pinch of Paccha Karpooram/Edible Camphor/Bhimseni Kapur)
- 1.5 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp Slivers of Mixed Dry Fruits (I used Almond Slivers and Cashew Pieces)
Instructions
- Add the grated jaggery to water and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Mix well till the jaggery melts. If the jaggery does not melt, on low flame, heat the water till the jaggery melts.
- Add the cardamom or camphor to the jaggery syrup and mix well.
- In a heavy-bottomed kadhai, on medium flame, melt 1 tbsp ghee.
- Add the rava and stir-fry till the rava just starts to change colour.
- Lower the heat, and add the jaggery water slowly while stirring constantly to ensure no lumps are formed.
- Mix well and turn the heat up to medium.
- Let the rava cook in the jaggery water till the water is all absorbed and the sheera comes together as a ball. Mix well at regular intervals.
- Add the dry fruits and mix well.
- Add 1/2 tbsp ghee and mix well.
- Serve hot.
How to Make Gulacha Sheera | Gur aur Suji ka Halwa
- Making the Jaggery Syrup
- The first step is to add the grated jaggery to water and let this mix rest for about 5 minutes so that the jaggery starts to melt.
- Now, mix well so that all the jaggery melts. If the jaggery does not melt, on low flame, heat the water till the jaggery melts.
- If needed, filter the jaggery water to remove any impurities.
- Finally, add the cardamom or camphor to the jaggery syrup and mix well. If you are using edible camphor be sure to use just the tiniest pinch because its aroma can be overpowering.
- Making Gur aur Suji ka Halwa
- In a heavy-bottomed kadhai, on medium flame, melt 1 tbsp ghee. Using a heavy-bottomed vessel is important because otherwise the halwa will stick to the vessel and burn.
- Now add the rava to the melted ghee and stir-fry till the rava just starts to change colour.
- Lower the heat, and add the jaggery water slowly while stirring constantly. The stirring ensures that the rava mixes evenly and does not lump together.
- Mix well and then turn the heat up to medium.
- Now let the rava cook in the jaggery water till the water is all absorbed and the sheera comes together as a ball. Mix well at regular intervals to ensure even cooking.
- Now, add the dry fruits and mix well.
- As the final step, add 1/2 tbsp ghee and mix well. You can add more ghee if you wish.
- Serve immediately. This halwa is best enjoyed while it is hot.
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