Mango Sheera | Mango Sooji Halwa(Kesari) Recipe

'Sheera' is a simple but popular sweet in India. It is known as 'Sooji ka Halwa' in North and 'Kesari' in South India, though the basic ingredients are the same the texture,color and the preparation method slightly vary in these versions - the end product though tastes almost same. The flavors for Sheera are quite versatile and one can use any seasonal fruit or nuts or even chocolate to make sheera,the options are end less and left to your imagination.

More than the regular Sheera(or Kesari) I usually prefer either Pineapple Sheera or Mango Sheera as the addition of the fruits will give a different dimension of taste to the basic sheera. During Mango season it is a norm to prepare Mango Sheera at my place and I have prepared quite a number of times but could not share it in my blog so far in this season. As I prepare in small portion we usually prefer to eat it immediately and finish it off and never had a chance to click it.Finally I decided to prepare it again over the last weekend to post it before the mango season ends and more so I didn't want to wait until the next season to post this simple and delicious Mango sheera.

The preparation process of Mango sheera is quite similar to the regular sheera- it's just that, we add mango pulp in the end. One can add chopped mango pieces or pureed mango or a mix of pureed mango and mango pieces to the sheera according to their wish, it tastes nice in any form!. I prefer adding pureed mango and a small portion of mango bites to the sheera. Let's get into the recipe with out much delay.

Check out other simple sweets and dessert recipes with ripen mangoes here:

• Aamras 
• Mango Fudge | Mango Burfi
• Mango Ice-cream
• Mango Kulfi
• Mango Shrikand | Amrakhand | Aamkhand
• Shrikarini/Seekarane..a simple mango delight

Mango Sheera | Mango Sooji Halwa(Kesari) Recipe:

Yields 3-4 servings

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:20 mins | Total time:30 mins

Cuisine: Indian | Category: Sweet/Dessert
 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Sooji/Rava

1/2 cup +  2 tbsp Sugar

1 medium ripen Mango(Alphonso or Kesar preferably)

3/4 cup whole cream Milk

3/4 cup Water

few Saffron strands

2 Green Cardamoms, seeded and powdered

8-10 Cashew nuts,split

2 tbsp Raisins

3-4 tbsp Ghee
 

Method:

1. Cut mango into pieces(reserve 2 tbsp finely chopped mangoes) and grind the remaining to a smooth puree and keep it aside.It should yield 1/2 cup approximately.
   
2. Warm 1 tbsp of milk and add saffron(crush the saffron slightly before adding) to it and keep it aside for 10 mins.
3. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a kadai/pan and add cashew nuts and fry until they turn light brown in color and remove them with a slotted spoon. In the same pan add raisins and fry them until they bulge up, remove and keep them aside.
   
4. Now in the same pan add rava and fry until the rava becomes aromatic and very light brown in color. Do  not roast for long,it should not change the color to deeper brown.
   
5. Meanwhile boil water with sugar in another pan until the sugar melts.
6. Add the boiling water to the roasted rava mixture by mixing it simultaneously and cover it and cook for 2-3 mins until the rava absorbs the water.
   
7. Add the milk and mix again and cook for a minute. Rava would absorb all the liquid and becomes slightly dry now.
8. Now add the ground mango puree to it and mix well and cook for a minute. The halwa becomes bit loose in consistency.
   
9. Lastly add cardamom powder, saffron infused milk, roasted cashew nuts and raisins, reserved chopped mango pieces and 2-3 tbsp ghee and mix well. Cover it and let it cook for 2 mins on low flame until the halwa becomes shiny.
10. Switch off the flame and cover it for 5 mins undisturbed.

Serve it hot/warm.
 

Notes:

• This halwa tends to thicken a bit as it sits. You can microwave it for a minute before serving.
• You can follow the same recipe and make plain sooji halwa, just avoid mango in the recipe and follow the same process.
• Mango can be substituted with chopped tinned pine apple pieces or pine apple pieces simmered in sugar water to make Pineapple Kesari.
• Milk can be avoided and instead you can use just water in the recipe or vice versa.
• You can just add boiling and once the rava is cooked you can add sugar to it, you can do either ways.It is believed that rava does not get cooked nicely when cooked along with sugar,but I tried cooking rava along with sugar solution many times and I never had problems.But you can either ways.
• You can even use tinned mango pulp if you do not have mangoes in hand.

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