“Naivedyam : Ponsa Sheera/ Ripe Jackfruit Dessert” … wanted to prepare prasadam/ offering to God as the first dish from the lot of yesterday’s ponosu, I managed to get yesterday … simple, but delicious sheera for all my friends here … Stay Safe … God Bless All …
** Sheera is a very common sweet dish/dessert which I have posted many times in different flavors and it really needs no introduction to anyone across the world for sure. I have written enough about this delicacy and writing anything more will be only repeating the same. This is my most favorite dish which I love to prepare as Naivedyam/ Prasadam/ offering to God as it is not only quick to make, but also you cannot go wrong in it. There is a scarcity of veggies, fruits, etc. because of lock down, for some it is easy while for some of us it is very difficult. It really depends upon ones locality and the availability, unfortunately for us we are under red zone, so for around 2 months it was strict lock down while only recently things are opening up to our relief. I completely agree that strict vigilance is required to control the crisis, but then we need to live and for that we need to go out to buy too.
** I had gone out on my business work which I just go about outside on how much is absolutely necessary basis. But, this time, I took a different route back home, hoping to see if I could pick something on my way and Viola, there stood a man with his push cart selling ripe jackfruit/ ponosu, though I had gone ahead, I took a U turn, came back and bought some for almost double the rate. Well, people are just looting now when opportunity strikes and there is nothing one can do, except buy it or leave it. Prepared sheera for a change as Naivedyam/ Prasadam adding ripe ponosu/ jackfruit for a change and the taste was really awesome. Sharing recipe below and also a common link to all my sheera recipes shared in my Blog before, there are many flavored ones which I am sure your family will love to relish, do try them out also. Stay Safe, Stay Blessed and take good care of all.
** Here is my Simple Recipe for preparing “Ponsa Sheera/ Ripe Jackfruit Dessert” … My Style ….
** Ingredients :
Bombay Rava/ Sooji/ Bombai Rulavu : 1 cup (Regular one)
Sugar/ Shakkar/ Sakkara : 1 heaped cup (+/- depending upon individual taste)
Ponosu/ Ripe Jackfruit : 8-10 whole pieces
Ghee/ Toop : ¼ cup
Cashew Nuts/ Kajjubi : 8-10
Raisins/ Sukkale Draksha/ Dried Grapes : 15
Edible Color : a pinch
Water : 2.5 cups of boiling water.
**In a thick bottomed Kadai heat ghee, when the ghee melts add in the cashew nut and fry till slightly color changes, now add in the dry grapes and fry for a few seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon draining excess ghee back into the kadai and keep this aside for garnishing.
** Bring water to a boil, then lower the heat and add in the ripe jackfruit/ ponosu cut into ½ inch sized cubes and let simmer for a few minutes only, while we fry the rava in the kadai.
** Now in the same kadai add rava and fry well on medium heat till the rawness goes and you get a nice aroma or the rava is slightly browned. Keep stirring with a spatula so that the rava does not get burnt. This step is very important to get a tasty and well made sheera.
** Once the rava is fried well, lower the heat to minimum, add in the color, mix well and slowly add in the boiling water along with the jackfruit pieces in it which will have cooked by now. 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 all ingredients 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. See to it that there are no lumps.
** 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 as the sweetness is individual preference.
** I usually add a little more than a cup of sugar for a cup of rava, as in my home we like the sheera to be sweet and it does add on good texture to the same. 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/ stainless steel flat dabba to which melted ghee has been smeared evenly prior to starting the sheera process. 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.
** Note : Addition of ghee to the bottom of glass/ tumbler helps in giving a leveled finished surface on top to the sheera when spread with on top. You can also use a glass bottle, back of a flat ladle or rolling pin if it suits you, but usually we use tumbler.
** Now garnish the top of the sheera evenly with fried cashew nuts and raisins kept aside evenly and press it down a little bit with the back of the tumbler so that it sticks into the sheera well. This has to be done when the sheera is hot to prevent it falling down while serving.
** You can serve sheera in a bowl or If you want to serve the Sheera as piece then keep it aside and allow to cool just 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 and once it has cooled down you can gently lift it up with the blunk knife.
** “Ponsa Sheera/ Ripe Jackfruit Dessert” is done and ready to be served as Naivedyam to God and then distributed among all. This is the first time I have prepared Ponsa Sheera and I must admit it tasted great with delicious taste of the fruits and was also lovely to get a few small pieces to eat.
** Sheera can be served hot or cold, though in my home we like it at room temperature. You can serve this as a dessert or with poori too, a favorite combo, very much to children’s liking, my uncle always relished sheera- poori and never tired of it.
** Most Konkani Saraswats prepare sheera as Naivedyam/ Prasadam on festive occasion or holy days and make first offering to God and then distribute it among family members and friends. Remember to always share prasadam/ naivedyam as it is believed that doing so pleases God immensely and the blessings do get doubled.
** 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 frequently as the month of Shravan and other festivals lined back to back is fast approaching.
** Important 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" below, you can click on the same for more / different types of recipes of sheera and try out the same.
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Thanks.