Sheera is a traditional Indian dessert made using fine semolina(Rava or Sooji), ghee, and sugar, laced with aromatic cardamom. Ready in under 30 minutes this easy-to-make pudding uses just a handful of pantry ingredients and is perfect for breakfast or dessert.
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Mom's Sheera Recipe
Sharing my mom's Banana Sheera recipe where she adds a ripe banana making it "Prasad Sheera" which is made during religious celebrations such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Satyanarayan Puja. I have altered the recipe a bit to make it lighter for everyday breakfast and dessert recipe. Read along for all the variations and tips on this quick and easy recipe.
What is Sheera
Sheera also known as "Sooji ka Halwa" in North India and "Rava Kesari" in the South, is a delicious Indian semolina pudding. A versatile recipe that can be easily changed up to use more or less sugar and ghee to your taste and diet preference. In western India, I grew up eating Sheera garnished with nuts and raisins as breakfast. Banana is often added when Sheera is made for religious events and festivals, while for parties and celebrations Pineapple Sheera and Carrot Sheera add a fun spin to the classic dessert.
What is Rava or Sooji
Rava or Sooji is wheat semolina readily available in Indian groceries. Its a staple in Indian cookingis and used to make dishes such as Rava Dhokla, Upma, and Rava laddo. Sooji available in two varieties, fine, or corase. For Sheera I prefer using fine sooji for a creamy consistency.
Ingredients for Sheera
- Rava or Sooji - Fine sooji works best for this recipe making the Sheera creamy. If you have coarse sooji, run it through a food processor or blender to make it fine.
- Ghee - Homemade ghee works best but you can also use good quality store-bought.
- Milk - I like mixing milk and water in this recipe. You can easily make ghee with all milk or all water.
- Sugar - Feel free to adjust sugar to your taste preference, you can start with less and add more as needed.
- Cardamom & Saffron - Ground cardamom powder and saffron add a wonderful floral aroma to the dish.
- Nuts & Raisins - Add your favorite nuts, I love adding pistachios, almonds, and cashews but you can add nuts of your choice or even skip to make it a nut-free Indian dessert.
Sheera Variations and Tips
- I prefer using a 2:1 ratio for sooji & ghee, but you can use less ghee if you prefer
- Milk of choice - you may use dairy-free unsweetened milk such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk.
- For Prasad Sheera often sooji, ghee, and sugar are often used in equal amounts and it makes for a heavenly treat. When my kids were younger they LOVED this version
- Allergic to nuts? Skip them for a delicious nut-free dessert
- Banana is optional but if you have a ripe one I highly recommend adding it
Mom's Notes to make Sheera for Puja
- To make Prasad Sheera use sooji, ghee, and sugar in equal amounts.
- See the step-by-step photos in the main post to see the color of the final roasted sooji should look like. It is very important to roast sooji with ghee on low-medium heat until its evenly browned and aromatic
How to make Sheera
- Add ghee and sooji to a pan and roast on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes stirring continuously as sooji slowly turns to light golden brown color and aromatic.
- Turn the heat to low and add banana, smashing it with the back of the spatula as you mix in.
- Mix milk and water and heat in the microwave until it is hot but not boiling, about 3 minutes. Slowly and carefully add it to the pan stirring continuously. Be very careful while adding liquids may cause a lot of steam and the Sheera may start to splatter
- Once the liquids are fully mixed in, add saffron. Cover and cook on low heat for five minutes as the sooji will absorb all of the liquids.
- Add sugar, cardamom, and half of the nuts. Mix well and cook covered on low heat for 5 minutes. Sheera will continue to thicken as it cools down. Garnish with remaining nuts and raisins.
Serving
Serve warm or at room temperature. Sheera is also a perfect on-the-go dish. Serve with a hot cup of chai for a hearty breakfast or serve it along with meals for a delicious dessert. Sheera pairs well with a yummy meal of batata bhaji and puri or Aloo Rasedar and Parathas.
How to store
Refrigerate Sheera for up to a week and to reheat, microwave for a short time. For a longer shelf life freeze it for up to 2 months.
More easy Indian Dessert Recipes
Recipe
Sheera | Sooji Ka Halwa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine sooji rava/semolina
- ½ cup ghee see notes
- 1 ripe banana see notes
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 pinch saffron
- ⅔ cup sugar see notes
- ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ cup chopped nuts almonds, pistachios, and cashews
- ¼ cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Add ghee and sooji to a pan and roast on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes stirring continuously as sooji slowly turns to light golden brown color and aromatic.
- Turn the heat to low and add banana, smashing it with the back of the spatula as you mix in.
- Mix milk and water and heat in the microwave until it is hot but not boiling, about 3 minutes. Slowly and carefully add it to the pan stirring continuously. Be very careful while adding liquids may cause a lot of steam and the Sheera may start to splatter
- Once the liquids are fully mixed in, add saffron. Cover and cook on low heat for five minutes as the sooji will absorb all of the liquids.
- Add sugar, cardamom, and half of the nuts. Mix well and cook covered on low heat for 5 minutes. Sheera will continue to thicken as it cools down. Garnish with remaining nuts and raisins.
Video
Notes
- To make Prasad Sheera use sooji, ghee, and sugar in equal amounts.
- See the step-by-step photos in the main post to see the color of the final roasted sooji should look like. It is very important to roast sooji with ghee on low-medium heat until its evenly browned and aromatic
- You can use dairy-free unsweetened milk such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk. It can also be made with all milk or all water, milk makes the Sheera creamier.
- Allergic to nuts? Skip them for a delicious nut-free dessert
- Banana is optional but if you have a ripe one I highly recommend adding it
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