Cranberry Sheera / Sooji Halwa

Cranberry Halwa
Cranberry Shira

Sheera or Sooji ka Halwa or Kesari
is a rich, decadent dessert traditionally made using Ghee (Clarified Butter) and with lots of dry fruits - golden raisins, cashews, almonds.  Some like to cook this sweet with milk - Milk Kesari.  
Let me tell you how I make this delicacy - with store bought unsalted butter, crunchy cashews and slightly tart cranberries.

Ingredients:
Semolina/Rava/Sooji - 1 cup
Unsalted Butter - 1/4 pound (1/2 cup)
Sugar - about 1/3 cup
Dry Cranberries - about 1/2 cup
Cashews - about 1/4 cup
Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 4 pods
Nutmeg/Jaiphal - 1/8 tsp
Saffron/Kesar - few strands

How to make Sheera using Butter:
  • Crush cardamom seeds and saffron in a mortar pestle to a fine powder. Roughly chop cashews and cranberries.
  • Heat 3 cups of water in a pot.  Wait until water starts boiling.  
  • Heat 1 tbsp butter in a kadhai or a pan.  Fry cashews in butter until cashews turn golden brown.  Keep them aside.  Now fry cranberries and save them for later too.
  • In the same pan, add the remaining butter.  When butter starts melting, add semolina.  Roast it at low heat until semolina changes slightly darker in color and turns aromatic.  Now turn off the heat and add hot water, fried cashews and cranberries.  Stir and let semolina absorb all the water.
  • Lastly, add sugar, ground cardamom, saffron and grated nutmeg. Stir well and you will notice that sheera starts leaving the edges of the pan. Cranberry Shira is ready to devour.
  • Cranberries are slightly tart, you might need more sugar if you like your Sheera more sweeter.

Comments

  1. Looks absolutely delicious and tempting.. great recipe!!

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  2. Awesome recipe.. I love cranberries and I have heard that they are very good for health as well.. I make sure to buy this new juice called kdd harvests cranberry juice or pomegranate every weekend.. but I have never seen this fruit around.. any idea where I could find them?

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    Replies
    1. Fresh cranberries are more common around September, October. I use dry cranberries for desserts which are available in the snacks aisle of many local stores here in Michigan. You might find it online as well, I guess. Hope that helps.

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