Rava no Sheero or Satanarayan pooja sheera

Rava no sheero/shiro or Satyanarayan pooja sheera is a sweet made with suji, ghee, sugar and milk. During Satyarnaray poojas this sweet is made as an offering to the God. Though the recipe doesn’t require too much ingredients, people say that it takes a lot of trial to get it to a right consistency.

Here is the recipe for making ravo no sheero
Ingredients:
1 Cup Suji (Rava)
3/4th Cup Sugar (1:1 is a general rule of thumb for making sweets, but we eat a little less sweet at our house)
3/4th cup + 2 Teaspoons Ghee,
3 Cups milk
2 Teaspoons Golden Raisins, for garnishing
2 Teaspoons Sliced Almonds, for garnishing
1 Pinch Saffron

Method:
In a heavy bottom pan, heat the ghee and add the rava to it. Roast it on medium low flame until a light aroma is released and the rava turns light golden brown (12-15 minutes). While the rava is roasting on one stove, boil the milk in another pan and the saffron to it. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the flame to medium and boil for 5-7 more minutes. The quantity of the milk should reduce down from 3 cups to 2.5 cups.

Once the rava is roasted and the milk has thickened a little bit, take the rava off the stove and move it as much away from you as you can. Now add the milk to it. Be very careful while adding the milk as it will splatter everywhere as soon as it comes in touch with the hot rava. Stir and mix well and return to the stove on medium heat. The milk will be absorbed by the rava within a minute or two adding it to the rava.

Now add half the sugar to this mixture. Stir and mix together making sure no sugar sticks to the bottom of the pan. Once the sugar gets incorporated, add the rest of the sugar to it. Stir and mix continuously until it dissolves completely and the mixture starts to come together looking like a big lump. At this point, add most of the raisins and almonds to it. Mix well and take off the flame. Garnish with the rest of the raisins and almonds. Serve hot.

Note: This is my mom’s recipe. While making the sheera at home, I used a little less than 3/4th cups of ghee. I must say that it didn’t change the taste much, but the texture of the sheera was a little drier than what I am used to. I would recommend using the same amount of ghee mentioned in this recipe to get a good texture of the sheera.

PS: Sorry no picture of the sheera:(
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Thepla

Thepla is a very popular Gujarati bread (roti). Theplas can be made by adding methi (fenugreek) leaves and/or Dudhi (bottle gourd, or lauki) to the flour. I am giving a base recipe for making thepla. If you wish, you can add 1/2 cup chopped methi leaves, or 1/2 cup grated dudhi to this recipe to suit your taste.

Here is the recipe for making theplas
Ingredients:
2 Cups whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoon whole wheat flour, for dusting
Salt to Taste
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/4th Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar, Optional (I don't add it)
2 Tablespoon Yogurt
2 Tablespoon Oil
Water Required to make Daugh
Oil as Required to Roast the Theplas

Method: Combine all dry ingredients in a deep flat bottom plate. Then add the oil and yogurt to the dry ingredients and mix well. Now a little water at a time until all ingredients are combined together to make dough. Apply some oil on the palms of your hands and knead the dough for a minute of two. Cover with another container and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.


Method:

Make ping pong size balls from the dough. Flatten the ball by pressing it using your palms. Roll the pressed ball in the whole wheat flour such that it is lightly covered by the flour. Roll it to a 2.5 inch diameter disc. Now dust the wheat flour on both sides of this disc and roll it to 4-5 inch diameter disc.

Place a griddle on the stove. Once it turns hot, turn the heat to medium high and place the thepla on it. Let it cook for about a minute, or until tiny bubbles start to appear on the top surface of the thepla. Flip it to the other side and apply ½-1 teaspoon oil to the cooked surface. Increase the heat a little bit. Flip again such that the side with oil faces down. Apply oil to the top surface. Press the thepla very lightly with the help of a flat spatula. Once both sides get cooked and turn golden brown, remove from the heat and put in a partly covered container so that the heat can escape but the thepla doesn’t turn chewy. Repeat the same process of the rest of the theplas. Serve hot or cold. I personally like it cold, so I cook it the night before and have it for my lunch the next day:)

Since thepla is prepared by adding spices to the flour, it can be had as is, with tea, or pickle, and also with any Gujarati subzi. I prefer it with pickle or with dry potato subzi. Sometimes I apply ghee (unsalted butter) to the cold thepla, sprinkle some chaat masala/Jiralu, roll it and have it as a quick and healthy snack. It tastes great. You should definitely try it if you have any left over theplas.


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