“Naivedyam : Nachani (Ragi/ Finger Millet) Sheera” … prepared this delicious delicacy with homemade nachani rava … an humble offering to our dear Vignaharata, Ganapati Bappa on Sankashti Chathurti … may he shower his choicest blessings on all of us …
** Sheera, the Golden Yellow Dessert Loved by all, is a common sweet dish prepared as Naivedyam/ Prasadam on auspicious days or just as a dessert when you want to celebrate. I have often prepared them in different flavors or using other ingredients and they have all turned out excellent. Sheera on itself needs no intro, but today here I have prepared the same using Nachani (Ragi/ Finger Millet) rava which I prepared at home in my mixer grinder.
** About nachani rava and how I came about preparing it at home is another story altogether. I have made it into a post and shared earlier, where you will find a picture enclosed too for reference if need be. I am sharing link to the preparation of rava method at the bottom of this recipe, please check out if you are new to this method and do try it out, its easy and nachani is nutritious, high in calcium, good for growing children as well as elders and aged too.
** Here is my own recipe for “Nachani (Ragi/ Finger Millet) Sheera” … my style …
** Ingredients :
Nachani/ Ragi/ Finger Millet Rava (ground mixture) : 1 cup
Sugar/ Shakkar/ Sakkara : 1 heaped cup (+/- depending upon individual taste)
Ghee/ Toop : 3 tblsp
Cardamom/ Yellu/ Yelu Powder : ½ tsp
Walnuts : 2 tblsp
Water : 2 cups (Boiling)
** In a thick bottomed Kadai heat ghee and then add Nachani Rava (ground mixture) and fry for some time on medium heat till the rawness goes off and you get a nice aroma. This takes at least about 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring with a spatula so that the rava does not get burnt. This step of frying is very important to get a tasty sheera, so do not skip it.
** Once it's fried well, lower the heat to minimum and carefully add in the boiling water little by little stirring well quickly to avoid formation of lumps. Be careful as it splutters a lot; do stand a little bit away from stove and use a large handled spatula, to avoid burning your hand. Keep stirring well till the rava is cooked and the water has dried up and it thickens up.
** Now add in sugar and once again stir well, until the sugar has melted down. The sheera will thin out once again, but don’t worry, it will thicken once again when it gets cooked along with sugar added into it. Keep stirring on low heat, until done and there is no moisture left. The sheera will leave the sides and slowly begin to turn to a mass by coming in together.
** Lastly add cardamom powder, half of walnut chopped to pieces and mix well. Remove from fire and immediately pour into a prepared tray/ plate/ bowl which is greased with melted ghee. Spread evenly with the back of the spatula/ tumbler and make insertion marks of desired shape and then top with remaining walnut pieces and press them a down little bit.
** Note : You can also garnish with the fried cashew/ raisins/ almond slivers, pista pieces or melon seed too, on top of the sheera if desired. Just sprinkle on top and roll with a rolling pin so that they stick to sheera in a even layer.
** “Nachani (Ragi/ Finger Millet) Sheera” is done and ready to be offered as Naivedyam/ Prasadam to God and there by shared among family and friends. Most of GSB/ Konkani Saraswats community, prepare sheera as Naivedyam during festive days. This time surprise all family members and friends with something different, they are sure to love this version.
** Once sheera has cooled down, gently remove the pieces by loosening them with a blunt knife for serving. You can serve it either hot or at room temperature, Its actually individual preference. You can also serve sheera with poori/ dosa, or even use them as stuffing for poori/ roti, a combo loved by children, young and old alike, do try it, tastes excellent.
** Sharing link to method of “Preparing Nachani/ Finger Millet Rava” below, do browse through the same and prepare it at home, its easy, economical and above also hygienic ….
** There are many more tasty flavorful “Sheera” recipes in the Blog, sharing a common link to them below, please browse through and try them out too, they are all excellent ….
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Thanks.