Rava Sheera, also known as Sooji Halwa, is an Indian Semolina pudding that comes together in 20 minutes and requires just four main ingredients. Make this easy dessert recipe on auspicious occasions, festivals, or for breakfast - it's absolutely delicious!!
I am sharing how to make Sheera on the stovetop and in the Instant Pot.
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Rava Sheera is one of my favorite Indian desserts. It's a breeze to make, totally delicious, nutritious, and, most of all, kids love it!
We rarely have leftover Sheera, but when we do, I definitely make Sanjori, a whole wheat flatbread stuffed with Sheera. Think of it like a sweet paratha or similar to Puran Poli. It's another favorite here!!
What is Sheera
Sheera is popularly known as Rava Sheera in Maharashtrian cuisine, halwa or Sooji Halwa in Northern India, and Rava Kesari in South India since it is made with Rava (semolina), also known as Sooji (Suji).
It is made with four 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 optional.
It's one of the quickest Indian sweets to make and is very popular as breakfast, dessert, and an offering (Prasad) to God during many Indian festivals, such as the Ganesh festival, Navratri, and Diwali. Thus, it 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) are other popular offerings during the Ashtami celebration of the Navratri festival.
Variations
Besan (gram flour) is added in small quantities to the basic halwa recipe to give it a creamy and nutty flavor.
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 or 3 for softer sheera. But you can adjust the ratios to suit your preference.
Recipe Ingredients
- Rava: Also known as Ravvva, Rawa, or Sooji. It is a wheat product and a form of semolina. You can use regular coarse sooji variety or fine sooji for this recipe.
- Ghee: Indian clarified butter. Use good quality homemade or store-bought ghee.
- Milk and water: I like to mix milk and water to cook the Rava, but neither works.
- Dry fruits: Cashews add a nice crunchy texture, and raisins add a natural sweetness and texture to each bite.
- Sugar: Add this to taste.
- Flavors: Cardamom powder and Saffron. Saffron, this is optional, but a worthwhile addition.
How to Make Sheera (Stepwise photos)
1 - In a pan, stir the Rava (semolina) on medium-low flame for 5-7 mins or until you get the aroma. Keep stirring intermittently and make sure not to brown the Rava.
2 - Simultaneously, add water and/or milk to another saucepan or vessel and bring it to a boil. Optional step - Add Saffron to this hot liquid.
3 - 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.
4 - You will see that the semolina is bubbling and frothy. This step is important for a fluffy texture.
5 & 6 - When Rava is ready, add the dry fruits, mix well, and roast for a few seconds or until the raisins are puffed. Don't wait too long; otherwise, the dry fruits can burn.
7 & 8 - Now turn the gas on low and slowly pour the boiled/hot milk and water mixture. The liquid addition and mixing of Rava need 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 until the Rava absorbs all the liquid. Now cover and let the Rava cook for 2 minutes.
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!!
Instant Pot Sooji Halwa
You can also make sooji halwa (rava sheera) in the Instant Pot. The process is almost the same as stovetop except that we will pressure cook the sooji. Here is how to make it.
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.
Recipe Tips for the BEST Sheera Recipe
Here are my tips and tricks I learnt from my mom to make the perfect soft, grainy, and lump-free Sheera
- Make sure to roast your rava (sooji) well. Failure to do so can result in a raw taste in your halwa and an improper texture.
- For the stovetop, mix milk and water to make the Sheera soft and creamy.
Skip milk while making it in an Instant Pot to avoid the Burn error. - Always add hot liquid to the Rava mixture so that you don't slow down the cooking process.
- The amount of sugar and ghee can be adjusted according to taste and preference, but don't skimp on ghee.
- Add the sugar last after the liquid has been absorbed.
- I prefer to add only cashews and raisins as dry fruits to this sheer, but you can add almonds or any dried fruit of your choice.
- Last but not least, to quicken the cooking process, keep roasted Rava on hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store the leftover Sheera (halwa) in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just heat it in a microwave for 10-30 seconds and enjoy warm, soft, fluffy sheera again.
Or you can make Sanjori from the leftover Sheera and enjoy it for breakfast.
1 cup of ghee and sugar can feel a bit too much, especially if you are watching your weight. So you can reduce the portions to suit your needs. You can use ½ to ¾ cup of sugar, depending on how sweet you like.
Similarly, use ½ to ¾ cup of ghee. The more ghee you use, the more moist and soft the sheera will be; otherwise, it may be a bit dry.
Yes, use about ½-3/4 cup grated jaggery and adjust to taste. However, the color and taste will change compared to halwa, which is made with sugar.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
I hope you enjoy this Rava Sheera-Sooji Halwa recipe!! If you give it a try, please rate it by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you ❤️ ! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what's cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
Rava Sheera | Sooji Halwa
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rava sooji, semolina (fine or coarse)
- ¾ to 1 cup Ghee clarified butter
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups water
- 10 cashews coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- 1 cup sugar adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 pinch saffron optional
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Instructions
Stove Top Method
- In a pan stir the rava (semolina, sooji) on medium-low flame for 5-7 mins or until you start getting the aroma. Keep stirring intermittently and make sure not to brown the Rava.
- Simultaneously in another saucepan/vessel add water and milk and bring it to boil.
- Optional step - Add Saffron (kesar) to this hot water milk mix.
- Add ghee to the roasted sooji a and mix again for about 5-7 mins. Make sure to roast on medium-low as we don't want it to brown.
- Stir in the dry fruits and roast for few seconds or until raisins are puffed. Don't wait too long else the dry fruits can burn.
- Now turn the gas on low and slowly pour the boiled/hot milk and water mixture. Adding liquid and mixing Rava needs to happen simultaneously. So with one hand, add the milk water mixture and keep stirring with the other hand.
- The mixture will look liquidy at this point. Keep mixing till the liquid is absorbed. Cover and cook for 2 mins.
- Open the lid, stir in the sugar and cardamom powder and increase the heat to medium-low again and stir.
- Once you add sugar, the mixture will start getting liquidy again (which is actually sugar melting). Keep mixing until the mixture absorbs all this liquid. Cover and cook for another 5 mins.
- Give it a final stir and soft fluffy Rava Sheera (Sooji Halwa) ready.
Instant Pot Method
- Start Instant Pot on saute mode and add the rava (semolina, sooji) and roast for 5 mins or until you start getting the aroma. Keep stirring intermittently and make sure not to brown the Rava
- Simultaneously in another saucepan add 3 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Keep it aside. Add Saffron (kesar) too (optional). I skip milk as it may cause Burn error and also add more water.
- Add ghee to the roasted rava and mix again for about 2-3 mins.
- Stir in the dry fruits and roast for few seconds or until raisins are puffed. Don't wait too long else the dry fruits can burn.
- Press cancel and pour the hot water sugar mixture. Give it a quick stir so all is well combined.
- Close the lid with vent to sealing. Cook on manual (pressure cook) high for 2 mins. Once cooked, let it stay for 10 mins and then quick release
- Open and fluff it up. If you feel the Halwa is wet for your preference, close the lid and let it sit for 5 more mins and then open and fluff again. Soft, fluffy Rava Sheera (Sooji Halwa) is ready.
Notes
- Make sure to roast the Rava (Sooji) well. Failure to do 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 the stovetop, mix milk and water to make the Sheera soft and creamy.
- When cooking in an Instant Pot, skip milk to avoid the burn error and increase the water amount. If needed, add milk later once the rava is cooked.
- Always add hot liquid to the Rava mixture so that you don't slow down the cooking process.
- Add the sugar last after the liquid (milk water) has been absorbed.
- The amount of sugar and ghee can be adjusted according to taste and preference, but don't skimp on ghee.
- 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 least, to quicken the cooking process, keep roasted Rava on hand.
Madhu Teli says
hi,,what can I do my sheera became too Sweet
Shweta Arora says
Hi Madhu, you can make more sheera made without any sugar and mix the two. That should balance the sweetness off. Hope this helps!
Shylaa Shree says
beautiful step by step clicks shewta.
Jayanthi Sindhiya says
Yummy halwa,nice clicks
Shweta Agrawal says
sounds pretty exciting and interesting. Great recipe:)
last pic is awesome
Julie says
beautiful clicks,shwetha..u're tempting me to grab the bowl off the screen 🙂