Sheera | Kesari Bhath | Semolina Pudding
Sheera / Kesari bhath in plain simple terms is nothing but a semolina pudding. I have fond memories of this dish. In Mangalore, it is a regular on the hotel menu and is enjoyed not just in the evening during tea-time but also is a hot favourite during breakfast.
Semolina is roasted in ghee and combined with sugar and saffron infused milk/water and cooked until all the liquid is absorbed and then mixed with ghee roasted cashew-nuts and raisins. The ratio of semolina to the liquid is important to achieve the desired consistency. For a dryish consistency, a ratio of 1:1 of semolina and liquid works best. But if you want it to be a bit mushy go for a ratio of 1:1.25, which is what I personally prefer.
The liquid component can be just water or just milk or a combination of both. All this depends on how creamy you want the sheera to be. I prefer a combination of milk and water. Just keep in mind the final quantity of the liquid combo should adhere to the semolina to liquid ratio.
This Semolina Pudding can be enjoyed as is or as a combination with snacks. My favourite is combining it with Mangalore Buns. But it is also enjoyed sometimes as Sheera-Bajil, a sweet alternative to sajjige-bajil by replacing the upma/ sajjige. In Bangalore where it is known as Kesari bhath, it is also served along with Sajjige/ Upma, the savoury version of semolina pudding and is known as Chow-Chow bath. Enjoy this golden goodness.
Sheera
Ingredients
- 1 pinch Saffron strands
- 2 tbsp Water, warm
- ⅓ cup Ghee, divided
- 1 tbsp Cashewnuts, chopped
- 1 tbsp Raisins
- ½ cup Semolina (roasted)
- ½ cup Sugar (substitute with brown sugar/ jaggery)
- ½ cup Milk, warm
- ¾ cup Water, Boiled
- 1 pinch Edible flowers, (for garnishing)
Instructions
- Soak, the saffron strands in 2 tbsp warm water and keep aside to infuse
- In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of the Ghee and roast the cashewnuts till they brown
- Just before removing the cashewnuts, add raisins to the same pan and roast for a few seconds till they puff up
- Transfer the roasted cashewnuts and raisins to a plate and keep them aside
- In the same pan, add half of the remaining ghee and roast the semolina till it takes a brownish tinge and turns aromatic
- Add the sugar and mix well till it starts to melt a bit
- Add the warm milk, followed by the boiling water. Keep stirring to avoid formation of any lumps
- Add the saffron infused water. Mix well and continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture thickens
- Add the remaining ghee and mix well and cook for couple more minutes till well combined
- Add the roasted cashewnuts and raisins and mix well
- Take it off the flame and divide into serving bowls. Garnish with the edible flowers
Notes
- The addition of saffron is to colour the pudding. Sheera doesn’t feel like sheera without the colour. However, do feel free to skip it. Or you can even use a pinch of turmeric powder to colour the dish
- You can substitute the sugar with brown sugar or jaggery and even alter the proportions to suit your taste preferences
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Here are some more variants of the Sheera for you to try
