Sheera is a traditional sweet dish that is a staple during festivals, winter season and depending on the ingredients, it can also be a remedy for cold. It is a semi-liquid pudding that it is easy to make! You can always give it a healthy twist by choosing ingredients like jaggery, oats and whole wheat flour. So, try these healthy sheera recipes.

What is sheera?

Sheera is a traditional Indian dessert made primarily from semolina, ghee (clarified butter), sugar, and water or milk. "It is a sweet dish often flavoured with cardamom and garnished with raisins and nuts," says clinical nutritionist Susmita N. Its soft, pudding-like consistency and sweet flavour make it a popular comfort food in many Indian households. You just have to roast semolina in ghee then cook it with water or milk, sugar, and add cardamom, and dry fruits.

Sheera can be made healthier by using ingredients like jaggery, and whole wheat flour. Image courtesy: Freepik

You can make it healthy by using ingredients like -

• Whole wheat flour: Hundred grams of whole wheat flour has 13.1 grams of fiber, according to the US Department of Agriculture. "Since whole wheat flour is high in fiber, it can help in digestion as well as provide sustained energy," says the expert.
• Ragi flour or finger millet flour: Millets, including finger millet, can help in improving iron status, and reducing iron deficiency anemia, according to a research published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal in 2021.
• Oats: A breakfast staple, oats may help reduce cholesterol. During a 2017 study published in Lipids in Health and Disease, participants who had mildly elevated cholesterol levels consumed 70 grams of oats daily for four weeks. Researchers found that their total cholesterol was lowered by 8.1 percent.
• Jaggery: Jaggery consists of antioxidants, minerals like calcium, and iron, and vitamins, making it a healthier dietary substitute to white sugar, according to a 2021 research published in Sugar Tech.

Healthy sheera recipes

Here are some easy-to-make healthy sheera recipes:

1. Whole wheat sheera

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/2 cup jaggery (grated or powdered)
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (almonds, cashews)
• 1 tablespoon raisins

Instructions

• Heat ghee in a pan and add the whole wheat flour.
• Roast on low-medium heat, stirring continuously until the flour turns golden brown and gives out a nutty aroma.
• In a separate container, dissolve the jaggery in 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
• Carefully pour the jaggery water into the roasted flour mixture, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
• Cook on low heat until the mixture thickens and ghee starts to separate.
• Put cardamom powder along with chopped nuts, and raisins then stir well.

  Serve warm.

2. Ragi sheera

Ingredients

• 1 cup ragi flour
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/2 cup jaggery (grated or powdered)
• 1 1/2 cups milk (or water for a lighter version)
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (almonds, cashews)
• 1 tablespoon raisins

Instructions

• Heat ghee in a pan and add the ragi flour.
• Roast on low-medium heat until the ragi flour turns slightly darker and aromatic.
• Take a separate pot where you can dissolve jaggery in warm milk and bring it to a gentle boil.
• Gradually add the jaggery milk mixture to the roasted ragi, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
• Cook on low heat until the mixture thickens and ghee begins to release.

  Add cardamom powder, and dry fruits then mix well.

You can make healthy sheera with oats. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock.

3. Oats sheera

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/4 cup jaggery
• 2 cups milk (or almond milk for a vegan version)
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts)
• 1 tablespoon raisins

Instructions

• Dry roast the oats in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden then set aside.
• Heat clarified butter in the same pan then add roasted oats.
• Gradually pour almond milk while stirring.
• Cook on low heat until the oats absorb the milk and the mixture thickens.
• Stir in the jaggery, cardamom powder, nuts, and raisins.
• Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until the sheera reaches your desired consistency.

4. Quinoa sheera

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/2 cup jaggery
• 2 cups almond milk (or regular milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds)
• 1 tablespoon raisins

Instructions

• Rinse quinoa thoroughly and cook it in 2 cups of water until soft and fluffy then set aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add the cooked quinoa.
• Add jaggery and stir well until it melts and combines with quinoa.
• Pour almond milk while stirring continuously.
• Cook until this mixture thickens.
• Add cardamom powder with dry fruits before serving warm.

5. Fruit-infused sheera

Ingredients

• 1 cup semolina
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/4 cup jaggery
• 1 cup mashed banana or grated apple
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (almonds, cashews)
• 1 tablespoon raisins

Instructions

• Heat ghee in a pan then add semolina.
• Roast it on low-medium heat until golden brown.
• Add mashed banana or grated apple and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Dissolve jaggery in warm water then pour it in the pan while stirring continuously.
• Cook until the mixture turns thick.
• Add dry fruits and mix well.

6. Almond flour sheera

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/4 cup jaggery
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• A pinch of saffron (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds)
• 1 tablespoon raisins

Instructions

• Heat ghee in a pan and add the almond flour.
• Roast almond flour until it turns golden.
• Dissolve jaggery in warm water before adding it to the pan.
• Add saffron (if using) and cook until the mixture thickens and the ghee starts to release.
• Stir in cardamom powder along with dry fruits.

These sheera recipes offer a healthier twist to traditional sheera by incorporating nutrient-dense ingredients like whole grains, nuts, jaggery and fruits.

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