"Rose Flavoured Sheera Topped with Melon Seeds" ... Wishing all my friends "A Very Happy Friendship Day" ... Friends are a blessing in disguise. Friends are those with whom you can share your joys n sorrows at times which you cannot do so with your near ones ... I am thankful to all my friends here without whom this culinary journey could never have been made such a joyous one ... sharing my today's "Naivedyam" specially prepared to thank all of you for being a part of my extended family ... Stay Blessed~ Spread Happiness ... May this Journey continue for years to come with the same warmth and love ... Thanking each one of You ....
** Sheera is such common sweet dish/dessert which I have posted many times in different flavors here and it really needs no introduction to anyone. The traditional dessert sheera, a golden colored sweet dish is prepared almost in every Indian home and is also known as Sooji Halwa in most parts of India, Rava Sheera in western India, Rava Kesari in southern parts and by and large in Konkani homes and elsewhere in southern parts it’s just called just “Sheera”. The most common one prepared as Naivedyam / Prasadam / offering to God in Hindu homes that is loved by young and old alike. Many people relish this with poori and the combo of poori with sheera is another common one in southern parts. Preparing sheera with twists, by adding on different flavors, especially fruit based one’s are my most favorite challenges in preparation of sheera. I have prepared the ones with pomegranate, mango, saffron, chikoo, orange, butter scotch, jambul, banana, strawberry etc.
** As it was friendship day too, I wanted to prepare something that brought out the color of love and friendship and I felt there was nothing more endorsing than Rose. I was wondering how to go about it, when it struck me that I could as well use the Rose syrup available in plenty in the market. Well problem solved and delicious “Rose Flavored Sheera” a sweet dessert was prepared by me as Naivedyam as it was Friday choodi day too when in Konkani homes during the month of Shravan married ladies celebrate the same on Fridays and Sundays. About this religious custom I have already written about and you can find the same in Article section and read through if interested. Sheera as you all know is very easy to prepare and you hardly can go wrong preparing it. Children love them, especially if you give them to relish it with poori as it is a great combo. Do try this one, I am sure your family and friends will love the same, it tastes really delicious and is very easy to prepare.
** Here is my Simple Recipe for preparing "Rose Flavored Sheera Topped with Melon Seed" … My Style ….
** Ingredients :
Bombay Rava / Sooji / Bombay Rulavu : 1 cup (Regular one)
Sugar : 1 cup (+/- depending upon individual taste)
Rose Syrup : ½ cup (I have used Mapro available in the market, you can use any)
Ghee : ¼ cup
Water : 2 cups of boiling water.
Roasted Melon Seeds : 2-3 tblsp
** To Prepare the "Rose Flavored Sheera Topped with Melon Seed Sheera” : In a thick bottomed Kadai heat ghee, when the ghee melts and becomes thin add in rava and fry well on medium heat till the rawness goes and you get a nice aroma or is very slightly browned. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring with a spatula so that the rava does not get browned/ burnt. This step is important to get a tasty sheera.
** Once the rava is fried well, lower the heat to minimum and slowly add in the boiling water. Be careful when you add the water as it splutter a bit, so stay far and pour little slowly and not in one go. Mix well stirring quickly, to prevent formation of lumps as is the tendency with rava. You should use a large handled spatula, to avoid burning your hand if you are new to preparing of sheera.
** Once the rava has cooked and the water has almost dried up which happens almost instantly add in sugar and stir well, keeping the heat to minimum. Add more or less keeping in mind sweetness preference in your home. I usually add a little more than a cup of sugar for a cup of rava, however, today I did not do so as the rose syrup too has some sugar content in it, so be careful with sugar. Mix well and let the sugar and rava both be cooked together till done and there is no moisture left and it sort of leaves the sides a little bit.
** Prepare and keep ready a tray / plate to which melted ghee has been smeared evenly prior to starting the sheera process. Once Rose flavored Sheera is done, pour the mixture into a plate and spread evenly with the back of the spatula or a tumbler to the back of which a little bit of ghee has been applied and level the sheera nicely. Addition of ghee to the bottom of glass and helps giving a leveled finished surface on top to the sheera when rolled over with the same. You can also use a glass bottle or rolling pin if it suits you, but usually we use tumbler.
** Now garnish the top of the sheera evenly with roasted melon seeds and slightly press it down again with the back of the tumbler so that it sticks into the sheera well. This has to be done when the sheera is hot. Now keep aside the sheera and allow to cool a bit, once it is just warm enough with a blunt knife put cuts on the sheera to make them into square / diamond shape (or any shape you desire. Once completely cooled you can gently remove the pieces by inserting the blunt knife and loosening it to remove it from the plate.
** "Rose Flavoured Sheera Topped with Melon Seed" is done and ready to be served as Naivedyam to God and then distributed amongst all. This is the first time I have prepared rose flavored sheera and I must admit it tasted great. Tastes best when served cool or at room temperature with poori, a favorite combo, very much to children’s liking. Most of Konkani Saraswats prepare this as Naivedyam / Prasadam and offer it to God and then distribute among family members and friends.
** Do try this out and enjoy with your family and friends, also keep a keen watch on my Blog for more flavored sheera and other desserts which I will be posting soon as it is the month of Shravan and we have festivals lined back to back. Try out these desserts in your and also remember to give me feedback. Do let me know if there is any particular recipe, that you would like to know and I will definitely share the same if I have knowledge of the same and somehow it has not been added on still.
** Note : Do try to add in the given amount of ghee for the sheera and try not to cut down on the same. Though there are some of my friends who add little bit more too. Addition of homemade ghee imparts a lovely aroma and texture to the sheera which should not be curtailed here. Again do fry the rava well to get a perfect sheera and do not hurry in the process, if not fried properly you will get a mushy sort of sheera which is not so appealing.
** Note : I have posted many types / flavors of fruit based sheera before. I am sharing a common link below for Sheera, you can click on the same for more / different types of recipes of sheera and try out the same.
** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of different types in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it or have a query, please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Do try out various types of dishes included in the Blog and Enjoy them with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible.
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