Classic Indian Whole Wheat Flour Sheero
By Sultana Patel
Photograph: Sultana Patel
'Whenever I think of this dessert it reminds me of my grandmother, how she used to make it for us every time we went to visit her.'
Today, I am going to share with you a simple and traditional recipe that is very close to my heart. The whole wheat flour sheero, is made with basic ingredients including whole wheat flour, ghee and jaggery. It is one of my favourite dishes to have in the winter. With a soft texture and topped with lots of coconut flakes, having it with chilli papad is the best. The fresh coconut gives it a nutty flavour and the spicy papad cuts through the sweetness of the sheero - a combination that I believe is perfection!
Some very sweet memories of my childhood are closely entwined with this simple dish. Whenever I think of this dessert it reminds me of my grandmother, how she used to make it for us every time we went to visit her. I remember sitting alongside her as she made it on her primus stove in a traditional copper kadhai (pot). I asked her a million questions, and she answered them with so much love and patience.
Going from a mega city like Mumbai with its bustling lifestyle to a very small town of Jambusar in Gujarat, was very fascinating and exciting for me. We used to go there almost every summer to visit my grandparents. As I close my eyes and think of them, I remember the bright smiles and warm welcome we received every time we went. The simple lifestyle there, compared to the city, was a welcome change for me. The food and fun times with all my cousins was a real added bonus. As a child, I looked forward to having my nani’s traditional dishes. I remember requesting her to make this sheero every time we went there.
Photograph: @humzaibrahim
I recreated this recipe after a long time when I came across it on social media. Seeing it, left me with a strong urge to make it after so many years. The process of recreating this dish was very emotional for me as it evoked so many sweet memories of the good times I spent with my family.
The ingredients used in this recipe are so basic that they are found in almost every Indian household. Although sugar can be used instead of jaggery, I prefer the latter as it adds to the flavour of the dish. Over the years I’ve seen many variations and different methods of making this dish, however, I prefer the simple way my nani brought this dish to life.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup ghee (clarified butter)
½ cup jaggery/ (sugar can be used instead)
2 cups water
Fresh grated coconut (to garnish)
Roasted/ Fried papad
Optional:
Handful of crushed almonds
Sprinkle of raisins
Method:
Roast the whole wheat flour on a low flame till it becomes fragrant and slightly brown in colour.
Take the flour off the heat and transfer into a separate bowl allowing it to cool.
Heat the ghee on a low flame, once melted add in the roasted flour and let it cook until it becomes clumpy. In a separate pot heat two cups of water and add the jaggery/sugar to it.
Once the jaggery/sugar water is boiled, gradually incorporate into the cooked flour while making sure there are no lumps.
At this point, some people like to add nuts and raisins, this is optional.
Let this cook for a few minutes and then take it off the flame.
Garnish with freshly grated coconut and serve hot with roasted papad.
Serve with piping hot crispy papad.
Enjoy!
About Author: Sultana is a writer and editor for CoL. She recently moved to the UK all the way from Mumbai, India. She has done her bachelors in Biotechnology Engineering, which explains why she loves to write sciency articles. Her special interest lies in food science.
