Besan Sheera (Besan Halwa)
Besan Sheera is a simple, comforting Indian sweet made with gram flour, ghee, milk and sugar. Easy to cook and beginner-friendly, it delivers a warm, nutty flavour and makes a quick dessert for festivals or weekday treats.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottom pan on low flame until it melts completely.
- Add the besan (gram flour) to the melted ghee and stir continuously on low heat so that the flour is evenly coated with ghee.
- Keep roasting the besan, stirring without stop, until it changes colour to golden brown and you smell a nutty aroma (about 10-12 minutes). This ensures the raw taste of besan goes away.
- Meanwhile, gently warm the milk and water mixture in a separate pot (so the milk-water is hot when added).
- Once besan is roasted well, slowly pour the warm milk-water mixture into the roasted besan while stirring constantly. Be careful — the mixture may bubble. Mix till smooth and lump-free.
- Add the sugar and increase heat to medium. Keep stirring until sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens (about 5 minutes).
- Sprinkle cardamom powder and stir. Then add chopped nuts (almonds/pistachios) and mix well. Cook till the halwa begins to leave the sides of the pan and becomes glossy.
- Turn off the heat. Pour the Besan Sheera into a serving bowl and garnish with extra nuts. Serve warm.
Notes
You can adjust sugar and ghee to make this dessert lighter. Using low-fat milk reduces overall fat. Adding nuts increases healthy fats and minerals. If you like a richer taste, use full-fat milk otherwise semi-skimmed works too.