In this post, I’m sharing how to make Sheera on stove top and InstantPot. Hope you enjoy this Rava Sheera - Sooji Halwa recipe!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you ❤️ ! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!
We rarely have leftover Sheera but when we do, I definitely make Sanjori which is a whole wheat flatbread stuffed with Sheera. Think of it like a sweet paratha or similar to Puran Poli. Its another favorite here!!
It is made with 4 basic ingredients - semolina (Rava, sooji), ghee, water (or milk), and sugar with slight variations based on regions. Dry fruits and flavors like saffron and cardamom are also added as optional.
Its one of the quickest Indian sweets to make and very popular as breakfast, dessert, and an offering (Prasad) to God during many Indian festivals like Ganesh festival, Navratri, Diwali, and thus holds special significance.
It’s one of the main offerings during Satyanarayan Puja and hence also called Prasadacha Sheera or Satyanarayan Sheera.
Suji ka halwa, Poori, and Sookie Kale Chane (Dry Black Chickpeas Curry) is another popular offering during the Ashtami celebration of the Navratri festival.
Other popular variations are Sheera with fruits like Banana Sheera and Pineapple Sheera.
Rava Kesari is another one where kesar or color is added.
Today, I’m sharing how to make the Sheera recipe (basic version). I learned it from my Mom and she always sticks to the ratio for Rava:Ghee:Sugar: Liquid (milk OR water OR a mix of both) of 1:1:1:2. But you can adjust the ratios to suit your preference.
2 - Simultaneously in another saucepan/vessel add water and/or milk and bring it to boil. I like to use a 50:50 ratio of water to milk.
Optional step - Add Saffron to this hot liquid.
3 & 4 - Add the ghee to the roasted Rava and mix again for about 5-7 mins. Make sure to roast on medium-low as we don’t want the Rava to brown.
5 & 6 - When Rava is ready add dry fruits, give it a mix, and roast for about a few seconds or until raisins are puffed. Don’t wait too long else the dry fruits can burn.
7 & 8 -Now turn the gas on low and slowly pour the boiled/hot milk and water mixture. The adding of liquid and mixing Rava needs to be done simultaneously. So with one hand, add the milk water mixture and keep stirring with the other hand.
9 - Once you have poured all the liquid, the mixture will look liquidy at the start. Keep mixing till the Rava absorbs all the liquid. Now cover and let the Rava cook for 2 mins.
10 - Open the lid and add sugar and cardamom powder. Increase the heat to medium-low again and stir.
Once you add sugar, the mixture will start becoming liquidy again (which is actually sugar melting).
11 - Keep mixing until the mixture absorbs all this liquid. Then cover for 3-5 mins again.
12 - Give it a final stir and Rava Sheera is ready!!
Start Instant Pot on saute mode and roast the sooji until its aromatic, add ghee and roast again (donot brown). Add dryfruits and roast until the raisins have puffed up
While you are roasting the sooji boil water in a saucepan, add sugar to it and mix to dissolve, You can also add saffron to this.
I prefer to skip milk while cooking halwa in Instant Pot as I have got the burn error a few times.
Also, I triple the water amount i.e. for 1 cup Rava, I use 3 cups water. This results in perfectly soft and moist halwa.
Add the hot water sugar mix to the roasted sooji, give it a quik stir. Close the lid with vent to sealing. Cook on manual high for 2 mins.
Once cooked allow to stay for 10 mins for doing a quick release.
Soft fluffy and moist sheera is ready! If you feel the sheera is a little wet when you open, close and let it sit for 5-10 mins. the moisture gets absorbed.
Make sure to roast you Rava/Sooji well. Failure to this can result in a raw taste in your halwa and improper texture. Use a fine variety of Rava not coarse to make soft fluffy Sheera. For stovetop, Use a mix of milk and water for soft and creamy Sheera.Skip milk while making it in an Instant Pot to avoid the Burn error. Always add hot liquid to the Rava mixture that way you don’t slow down the cooking process. The ideal ratio for Rava:Ghee:Sugar: Liquid (milk OR water OR a mix of both) should be 1:1:1:2. The amount of sugar and ghee can be adjusted as per taste and preference. But don’t skimp on ghee. Add the sugar last after the liquid has been absorbed.Use ½ cup more liquid if you prefer very soft halwa. I prefer to add only cashews and raisins as dry fruits to this sheera but you can add almonds or any dried fruits of your choice. Last but not the least, to quicken the cooking process, keep roasted Rava on hand.
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