Recipe: SHEERA

Sheera with banana!

It is winter and I find that I am hungry all the time. Then I decided it is time for recipes. Almost everyone must have had sheera in their lifetimes. It is made in different ways in the North and South of India. In Tamil Nadu, it is called kesari – more for the kesar used in it. We also used to add kesar colour (orange). I avoid using artificial colours and flavours as they are very unhealthy.

I have had sheera as Prasad at many places and love the flavour of banana in it. Thought would give it a try this time I made it.

Ingredients:

Rava – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 ½ cups
Ghee – ½ cup
Cashew-nuts – 8-10 (cut into pieces)
Ripe Banana – 1
Cardamom Powder – ½ tsp
Water – 2 cups
Kesar – a few strands soaked in 1 tsp of warm milk

Method:

1.    Heat a saucepan and add part of the ghee to it. When hot, shallow fry the cashew-nuts and add the rava to it when the nuts have turned golden. Fry till the rava is golden brown in colour. It should be evenly roasted.
2.    Heat the water separately and add it to the roasted rava. Ensure the stove is on slow. Stir continuously to ensure that there are no lumps.
3.    After mixing thoroughly, add the sugar to the saucepan and stir well. Lumps form at this time too, so make sure that the sheera is smooth.
4.    Add the rest of the ghee and let it cook on slow fire.
5.    As it cooks, grate the banana (you may mash it too) and add it to the cooking mixture.
6.    Add the cardamom and kesar just a couple of minutes before switching off the gas.

Serve it hot or cooled, it will taste just as yummy, I promise.