Sheera | Sooji Halwa

Sharada Navaratri means a different sweet and savoury naivedyam everyday for nine days. That can be quite a challenge for me because most days, I have to make whatever I choose to before I go to work at about 8:30 AM. One perennial favourite in our home is Sheera or Suji Halwa or Rava Kesari, as it is called in different parts of India.

When I am feeling particularly decadent, I love to eat sheera with puri! 🙂

You could also try:

• Rava Kesari
• Pineapple Kesari or Pineapple Sheera
• Banana Sheera or Sapata

Ingredients

1. Rava/Semolina/Suji – 1 Cup
2. Sugar – 1 Cups
3. Ghee/Clarified Butter – 2 tbsp
4. Cashew Nuts – 6
5. Kishmish/Raisins – 10 to 12
6. Saffron Strands – 8 to 10
7. Milk – 2 tbsp
8. Cardamom Pods – 3 or 4
9. Water – 2.5 Cups

Method

1. Warm the milk and soak the saffron strands in them for at least 10 minutes.
2. Crush the cardamom seeds to a rough powder.
3. In a heavy bottomed vessel or kadai/wok, over medium heat, heat the ghee.
4. Add the split cashew nuts and fry till light brown.
5. Add the rava and fry till it just starts to turn brown.
6. Turn the heat to low. Add the sugar and mix well.
7. Add the kishmish and mix well.
8. Add the water and cardamom powder.
9. Stir well.
10. Turn the heat up to medium and let the rava cook.
11. Stir constantly.
12. When the water is almost absorbed, add the milk and saffron.
13. Mix well.
14. Let it cook over medium-low heat till almost all the water is absorbed.
15. Serve warm.

Tips

• You can use 1 Cup Milk and 1.5 Cups water, instead of 2.5 Cups of water.
• Add a few drops of yellow/kesar food colour to the water, if you want the kesar color to the sheera.
• Always serve sheera/rava kesari warm.