There is nothing quite like a bowl of homemade sooji halwa, just like mom made! This is my favorite classic sheera recipe. It comes out deliciously sweet, soft, fluffy and rich every time and always sure to satisfy the sweet tooth.
This simple rava sheera is made with 3 ingredients you likely have on hand right now, requires just 20 minutes start to finish, let’s so this!
You’ll love all the textures (soft, fluffy, smooth) in this sweet and it’s rich flavor. This is just one of those classic Indian sweets everyone will love and you’ll want to make again and again. The main ingredients are semolina (sooji or rava), sugar and ghee (clarified butter). Cardamom powder is added for flavoring and nuts are added as a garnishing.
Sooji Halwa & It’s Regional Variations:
- In North India, it is known as sooji ka halwa (suji halwa). Sometimes, jaggery is added instead of sugar.
- In Maharashtra, it is known as Sheera.
- In Gujarat, it is known as Shiro (rava no shiro). Sometimes, milk is used instead of water, and it adds more richness and creaminess.
- In South India, it is known as Rava kesari or Kesari baath. The method is slightly different and the saffron color is added.
The basic sheera or sooji halwa can be made with different flavors with the addition of fruits e.g. banana sheera, Mango hawla, Pineapple halwa.
What type of sooji is used to make sheera?
To make sheera (sooji halwa), always use fine verity of semolina. There is coarse verity of semolina available in the market and it is good for upma, rava idli, rava uttapam, etc.
Festivals, Special occasions, and sooji halwa:
- It is the traditional auspicious dish of India. On any religious occasion, whether it is pooja or Satyanarayan katha, it is made in every household. Elders in my house says that pooja is incomplete without sooji halwa as a prasad. Many make sooji halwa with banana as a prasad. During the prayer or pooja, sheera is offered to God. Then distributed to devotees as a blessing.
- Not only religious occasions, but it is also made on a special occasion. I remember my mom making it on dad’s birthday.
- During Ganesh Chaturthi festival, it is offered to Lord Ganesha as a naivedya (prasad).
- It is made to accompaniment the feast meal (for family or guests) on festivals like Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Bhaidooj, Holi.
- It is made as a Navratri Ashtami prasad. The prasad combo is halwa, puri, and sookha kala chana.
How to make Sheera?
1) Take ghee and fine semolina in a pan. Turn the heat on low-medium.
2) Start roasting the sooji with stirring constantly.
3) While ghee is melting, take water in a saucepan on another stove. Turn the heat on medium. Let it come to a simmer.
4) Back to the roasting sooji, ghee is melted. IMPORTANT: make sure the heat is on medium to low. Do stir constantly with a spatula.
5) Keep stirring and roasting till it gets a slight brown color. you will get a nice toasty aroma of sooji. You will notice that ghee is oozing out and it starts to bubble. It took me 7-8 minutes.
6) Now add warm water slowly. Be very careful, it will get very bubbly and will splutter a lot.
7) immediately mix it.
8) Cook with stirring continuously till water is absorbed. This will be done very quickly, about in 2 minutes. So do not go away.
9) Now add sugar.
10) Mix well. as sugar melts, sheera will get thinner.
11) Cook till again it gets thick. It starts to leave the sides of the pan meaning it is not sticking anymore. Ghee will starts to ooze out. Turn off the stove heat.
12) Lastly add cardamom powder, chopped cashews and almonds, and raisins (if using).
12) Mix well.
14) It is ready to serve. You can just spoon it in a bowl. Or go fancy. Tightly pack sheera in a katori or designed bowl, remove it to a plate upside down. Do this while it is hot or warm to get a smooth surface.
Serving ideas: This can be eaten as a dessert on its own. Or can be eaten with poori. Halwa-poori is a popular combination.
Tips to make the PERFECT, BEST Sooji Halwa:
- Roasting sooji is the most important task to get the best texture. Always roast on low-medium heat with stirring constantly.
- If sooji is roasted on medium or high heat then it gets brown quickly, will get burn and stay raw. The end result will be sticky, gooey halwa.
- Water should be warm or hot. Never add cold or tap water. Warm it up on the stove or in the microwave.
- From start to finish, you must stir constantly without stopping. you will get good arm exercise. So you cannot go away. You cannot do other tasks simultaneously. Only focus on making this recipe.
- Instead of water, you can add milk or a mixture of water and milk.
- You can add your choice of nuts and dried fruits like cashews, almonds, raisins, chironji or charoli.
- You can add a pinch of saffron while roasting sooji.
Check out other halwa recipes
Aate ka halwa // Almond halwa // Carrot halwa // Pumpkin halwa // Lauki halwa
Sheera Recipe (Sooji Halwa)
Ingredients
Ingredients for sheera recipe:
- 1 ¼ cup Water
- ¼ cup Ghee (clarified butter)
- ½ cup Sooji (rava or semolina) (fine verity)
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Green cardamom seeds powder
- 2 tablespoons Almonds , cashews, raisins, chopped
Instructions
Making sooji halwa recipe:
- Take ghee and fine semolina in a pan. Turn the heat on low-medium.
- Start roasting the sooji with stirring constantly.
- Keep stirring and roasting till it gets a slight brown color. you will get a nice toasty aroma of sooji. You will notice that ghee is oozing out and it starts to bubble. It took me 7-8 minutes.
- On the other side, take water in a saucepan. Turn the heat on medium. Let it come to a simmer.
- Now add warm water slowly. Be very careful, it will get very bubbly and will splutter a lot. immediately mix it.
- Cook with stirring continuously till water is absorbed. This will be done very quickly, about in 2 minutes.
- Now add sugar. Mix well.
- Cook till again it gets thick. It starts to leave the sides of the pan. Ghee will starts to ooze out.
- Turn off the stove heat.
- Lastly add cardamom powder, chopped cashews and almonds, and raisins (if using). Mix well.
Notes
- Instead of water, you can add milk or a mixture of water and milk.
- You can add your choice of nuts and dried fruits like cashews, almonds, raisins, chironji or charoli.
- You can add a pinch of saffron while roasting sooji.
Sagar Nath
Nice! Love to make in your style. Thanks!
Kanan
sure. give it a try
Reshma
Hi
Tried this today with butter. It was amazing! Thanks a lot! =D
Kanan
Good to hear that you liked it
Sukhbir
Hhmmmm….. One of my favourites! This is exactly the way I make it! Tooooo yummy…. Thanks Kanan, now I know what I’ll making fir desert today!
Kanan
yes my fav too. enjoy your dessert today.