BANANA SHEERA/HALWA

Navratri , the popular nine day long dance festival of Gujarat is currently going on. All nine days are dedicated to different Goddesses and offered Prasad/Naivaidhy accordingly. The fifth day is dedicated to the Goddess Skandmata and prasad using banana is offered to Goddess Skandmata on this day. I have prepared BANANA SHEERA as a prasad.
Sheera is another name for halwa. In Maharashtra and Gujarat halwa is known as “SHEERA”. Sheera /halwa is usually prepared on auspicious occasions , festivals and offered as prasad. Satyanarayan Pooja is incomplete without sheera. This traditional Indian sweet is prepared with semolina, ghee and milk as the key ingredients. Banana sheera is a fruity version of sheera. As it’s name suggests, banana is added in the sheera. I have blended banana in milk, but can use chopped banana too. I have skipped sugar as banana is sweet enough.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 3 persons

Ingredients:
1/2 cup semolina
1 cup ghee
2 banana
2 cup milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp saffron
1 tbsp almond flakes

Method:

1. Soak saffron in two tbsp of warm milk. Peel and chop the bananas. Add milknand blend them.
2. Now heat 1/2 cup ghee in a thicl bottom pan, add semolina and sauté untillnit turns light pink.
3. Further add banana milk mixture and cook on a low flame. Stir continuously, till all the liquid is absorbed and semolina cooked
4. Now add the saffron milk , cardamom powder, almonds and half cup ghee.
5. Mix everything well and cook on a low flame till the ghee separates. Them turn off the heat.
6. Serve hot or warm.

Note:

1. You can add chopped banana and milk separately.