This Rava Sheera aka Sooji ka halwa (Indian Semolina pudding) is a quick fix, delicious and wholesome treat! Semolina is known as Rava or sooji and halwa is pudding. It is prepared with semolina, ghee, milk, sugar and flavored with cardamom powder and saffron. Enjoy it warm along with some hot chai or coffee for breakfast or as a snack!
This rava sheera | sooji ka halwa | semolina pudding is prepared differently throughout India and is also known by different names. For example, sheera in Maharashtra, sooji ka halwa in North India, xiro (pronounced Sheero) in Goa, and kesari in southern Indian states to name a few! The only difference is in the quantities of ingredients, some of them don’t use milk and are made entirely with water. Ghee is an important ingredient and a must in all! No matter how they are prepared, it is equally delicious and satisfying! People enjoy this pudding for breakfast in Maharashtra and southern India. It is also prepared on auspicious days in India!
This semolina pudding is truly rich, and taste divine with that strong aromatic flavor of ghee (clarified butter) and the richness of milk shining through. The exotic flavors, the aroma of saffron and cardamom add another layer of goodness to this humble dish making it quite addictive. I like to prepare this sooji ka halwa with milk and a little water. It makes this pudding more wholesome and tastier. Everyone has their own preference, but this is the way I always make it!
Ghee is the heart and soul of this semolina pudding. The aroma of semolina roasting in ghee is so fragrant and divine! Ghee is an integral part of Indian cuisine! It has a high smoke point, make it ideal for deep-frying, sautéing or even baking. It is also lactose and casein free, loaded with fat-soluble vitamins and has a strong buttery flavor adding a distinctive taste to any dish, that cannot be missed!
To make this rava sheera | semolina pudding you will require just 5 ingredients
Semolina Ghee Sugar Water Milk A mix of dried fruits
This will store well in the refrigerator for up to a week. Also due to the sugar content, it does not spoil easily. I like to make a big batch and store some in the refrigerator to enjoy later for a quick snack. Moreover, my kids absolutely love this pudding which is why I make it at least once a week. I believe food connects us to our memories. Rava sheera is one that always makes me nostalgic every time I eat it. It sends me down memory lane when I would return from school to find some sheera kept ready for me by my Grandma. And it was always presented to me in a fancy shape!
Did you know the month of June celebrates dairy products and dairy farmers? From the time I’ve stopped breastfeeding my kids, they transitioned and took to cow’s milk pretty smoothly. My son loves his glass of milk and will not go a day without it. His day begins with milk for breakfast and ends with it at night. Four years now and he proudly shows off his mustache each time he finishes off the glass of milk. Knowingly or unknowingly, the first food of our lives; the start of our day; even the end of an Indian meal happens with a dairy product. I was fed all kinds of dairy products as a child by my grandparents, and I believe grandparents are never wrong. I love using dairy in all forms, from butter/ghee to yogurt to cheese to milk as they are simple, delicious, nutrient-rich ingredients. Dairy is the milk of choice in our cereal, the yogurt in our morning smoothies or layered granola parfaits or the yogurt used to make other savory breakfast dishes. Even the cheese on our pizza or the milk that goes into that comforting mug of hot chocolate or coffee and our much needed evening chai!
97% dairy farms are family-owned and your dairy is probably sourced from a farm near your neighborhood. The dairy industry uses innovative and safe technology to provide us with better, fresher product along with exceptional animal care and sustainable nutrition. Dairy foods are a powerhouse of nutrients, packed with carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Also, it is budget friendly, comes in many varieties and there is something to satisfy everyone’s taste. You can easily find them down the dairy aisle of your grocery store. It makes me sad to see a few of my friends have given up on dairy because they think it contains antibiotics. They have been misinformed and if you are under the same impression, then I’d like you to know that all these are just myths. If you like to get some more information, click here. Have you tried pronouncing the ingredients on the cartons of other dairy alternatives, some of which may have up to 10 ingredients, which is not the case with real cow’s milk. It contains more naturally-occurring nutrients and only three ingredients- milk, vitamin D, and vitamin A. We all love to eat well, so why not add two or three daily servings of low-fat and fat-free dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt to your diet? I hope you will try this delicious Indian semolina pudding soon and love it as much as we do 🙂 Ingredients 1/2 cup coarse rava / sooji (semolina) 1/4 cup ghee 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup warm water 1 cup lukewarm milk 2 tbsp slivered almonds 2 tbsp raisins 1/4 tsp cardamom powder About 30 strands of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp hot water !For garnish (optional) dried rose petals, as required slivered pistachios, as required
Step by step instructions to make rava sheera
1.Dry roast the semolina in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-low heat until it turns crisp, fragrant and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate and set aside.
2.Wipe the same pan with a clean kitchen napkin and add ghee, once it melts, add slivered almonds. When the almonds turn light brown, add the raisins, cook until the raisins turn plump and swell up.
3.Add the roasted semolina, cook for another 1-2 minutes, until you see some ghee being released from the semolina.
4.Add the milk and water along with saffron extract, and stir continuously as you pour the liquid to avoid any lump formation. Cook for another 2 minutes until the semolina absorbs all the liquid.
5.Add the sugar and give everything a quick stir. The sugar will melt and leave water. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to thicken.
6.Add cardamom powder, and mix well. The sheera/pudding is ready once the mixture comes together and ghee oozes from the sides of the pan. Serve warm garnished with additional dried fruits if desired. You can present this in two ways, either use a fancy mold or a plain bowl, fill the pudding, press it to make it compact, then invert it in the serving plate. Or simply serve it directly in a bowl as shown below.
NOTES 1.Store leftovers in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave before serving. 2.You can increase the sugar to 1/2 cup if you prefer a sweeter rava sheera | semolina pudding. This is the perfect amount of sweetness for us.
HOW TO MAKE RAVA SHEERA?
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What are some of your favorite dairy foods? I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your feedback with photos and suggestions to me at [email protected] You can also follow me on : Facebook @ Aromaticessence Pinterest @ Aromatic Essence Instagram @ aromatic_essence77 Twitter @ freda_dias Regards, Freda
