Sheera (Semolina Pudding)

The Hindu festival Diwali celebrates the return of Rama, a king and avatar of Vishnu, from an epic journey called the Ramayana.  It is the celebration of good over evil.

Today, Diwali is the biggest religious holiday in India.  By my parents’ description, it sounds like a combination of Christmas, the 4th of July and New Years.  Houses are lit up with oil lamps and presents are exchanged.  Fireworks are ignited in all of the neighborhoods.  Children eat at several family friends’ houses in one day. Unfortunately, I’ve never been in India at the right time and there are no travel plans in sight.  But at least I learned how to make one of the best things served during the Diwali celebrations.

Sheera is semolina/farina/cream of wheat toasted in butter, saturated with milk and sugar, and gilded with cardamom and golden raisins.  It is traditionally eaten along with savory meals, not afterward.  I am weak and usually make a meal of it alone.

My mom told me to take a picture of the semolina so you know how it should look when it’s done toasting.  Make sure it’s toasted before you add the other stuff!  If you leave it raw it’ll taste raw.

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup rava (farina/cream of wheat)
• 1 1/3 cup of water + milk (50% each)
• 6 cardamom peeled & pounded to powder
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• 2/3 cup sugar

Heat the water and milk concoction on low flame until lukewarm.  Use a pot at least twice the volume of the liquid, and watch so that it doesn’t boil over.  In another large pot melt butter, add rava and toast it on low heat stirring almost constantly till golden brown.  Add the liquid in 4 stages, stirring at each stage.  Cover and let dry on low fire. If looks dry break it up, add a little more milk, and stir.  Add sugar, cardamon and stir well.  Cover and cook on low fire for 2 mins to dry the sheera slightly.  Garnish with raisins.

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