Mango Sheera – Ambyacha Shira

Mango Sheera – Ambyacha Shira

Ripe Mango + Semolina Pudding Recipe – आंब्याचा शिरा

This Mango Sheera recipe or aam aur sooji ka halwa is a popular sweet dish in India. It is made during the summer months when ripe mangoes are available.

Sooji ka halwa is made for breakfast or as a snack or as a side dish with a main meal. Sheera is also made as naivedya for offering to a deity at the time of pooja.

In Maharashtra and Karnataka, it is distributed to the devotees as a ‘Satyanarayana Prasad’, after the Satyanarayana Pooja. At that time Banana is also added to this ‘prasadacha sheera’. Here we are adding mango pulp/puree to our shira which gives it a lovely color and flavor to it.

How to Make Mango Sheera – Sooji ka halwa?

Ingredients for making sheera – shira – Sooji halwa:

• Semolina (sooji / rava / cream of wheat) – 1 cup
• Sugar – 3/4 cup or a little more.
• Mango pulp – 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups, made with alphanso mangoes
• Water + milk – 2 to 2 1/2 cups
• Ghee – 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup
• Cashew nuts – 4-5 chopped finely
• Raisins – 10
• Cardamom powder – 1 1/2 teaspoon.

Cooking method to make sooji ka halwa:

Making sugar syrup first.

• Add sugar to a pot.

• Add water to sugar. Heat it on medium flame till sugar dissolves.

• Add milk to to the water/sugar mixture.

Roasting semolina – Sooji for mango shira

• While the syrup is getting ready, prepare to roast rava(semolina).
• Heat a deep thick bottomed pan. Add rava/suji/semolina. Dry roast rava on low flame for 3-5 minutes

• Add ghee to semolina and roast some more.

• Roast till semolina starts giving a nice roasted aroma. It will take about 3-5 minutes. But do not let it become brown. Keep roasting on low flame.

• Once you start getting the nice roasted aroma of ghee and rava, add the dissolved water/sugar/milk mix. Rava will immediately start absorbing the liquid and to fluff up.

• Stir and mix well so that no lumps are formed. Let cook covered on low fire for a few minutes till most of the water is absorbed by rava. 

• Remove the lid and mix well. Then place the lid back on. Cook some more till all the liquid is absorbed in the rava.

• Then add mango pulp. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Let mango pulp become blended with the cooked sooji/rava.

Roasting nuts

• In a pan add some ghee and cashew pieces and raisins(if adding). Fry till cashews are golden. Take off the stove.

• Add roasted cashew nuts, cardamom powder to ready sheera. Mix well. Switch off and keep covered till serving time.

• Mango sheera or Aam Sooji Halva is ready to serve.

Tips:

• You may add banana, mango, apple or pineapple as a variation. If using fresh fruit or canned one, add it in the end after you take sheera off fire. Mix well.
• You may omit the cardamom powder when you add fruit if you wish but you don’t have to. The flavor of the fruit is good enough.
• Add milk instead of water if you wish. Or you can use half milk and half water. Milk makes it more tasty and rich.
• If you are a vegan, use only water. Instead of ghee, use coconut oil.
• To reduce time, heat water while you are roasting rava/semolina and add this hot water to roasted. Cooking will be done fast.

Visit Mango milkshake recipe