Looking through picasa I found many food pictures taken at various times but not blogged. For sometime the computer was not in working condition, and at other times I face stiff competition from my children. My son claims that I get away with longer hours sitting in front of the comp. just because I am 'mummy'. I gave in to their demands and now on weekends they play for an hour each on the comp.!
This halwa was supposed to go in for the healthy lunch box event, but somehow got lost in the recesses of my albums until now! Better late than never, I thought! And this is such a good, yummy recipe, I just had to share it with all my fellow bloggers here.
I make 'wheat halwa' a.k.a 'atte ka sheera' on the days I make ghee at home. Mainly because I do not like the idea of all that ghee stuck to the wok, going waste! Also because I love the burnt milk solids which settle at the bottom of the kadhai after ghee is strained. My mom used to roast atta till browned and mix it with sugar, after the ghee was removed and we used to fight over the tasty wheat powder!
I have taken to making this halwa which Pratibha, a friend of mine and one of my colleagues in Churchgate (A wonderful cook!) used to bring once in a while to office. I fell in love with it! Mine has a little less sugar than hers (I like sugar n spice to lightly flirt with my tastebuds!, not in the face thing!) but it is equally nice! Its a common sheera, so I am sure many of you might have your own perfected recipes.
This one is for those who haven't made it yet! [I assume that my kids will grow up and look into my blog for their recipes, and I am planning to leave a wide variety here for them!!
Maa ke haath ka khaana agar khaana ho to?]
Before I go further, a few known facts and not so well known facts (Just reminding !) about wheat - I got most of these facts from
WHfoods. Click to visit and read more......
These were only a few of the benefits mentioned in the site.
Here comes a healthy and delicious wholesome short break diet, which is also one of the common 'Gurudware ka prasad' from me to you!
Recipe for atte ka sheera:
Whole wheat flour / Atta - 1 cup
Water (Boiled) - 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups
Sugar - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Almonds - 4 (Slivered)
Method:
- Heat ghee, and roast the wheat flour till it releases a heavenly aroma. Roast till the colour changes to a nice dark shade of red brown. If you do not roast well it will become lumpy and hard.
- Add boiled water to the wheat stirring all the while. The wheat will start becoming slightly lumpy.
- Add sugar and mix incorporating the flour into the sugar. Keep cutting and mixing till it leaves the kadhai and gathers into a soft lump. You will find that at some point the wheat will layer out when you press it or cut into the lump with the ladle and the ghee will separate out.
- Add more ghee (A tsp. at a time) if you find the halwa hard.
- Add a few slivered almonds and mix.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
I make it as a 'prasadam' or offering during one of the nine days of 'Navratri' also. It has a nice rich taste, and is better eaten in small helpings as it tends to feel heavy!!
