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Quinoa sheera

Quinoa Sheera

Serves 4

50 mins

358 Kcal

Sheera or halwa, as we generally refer to it, is always, without fail an Indian dessert that uses semolina. Herein, however, is a healthy and flavourful twist to the classic Indian dessert recipe that uses semolina-quinoa to be precise-as a superfood in itself, replacing semolina to make a healthier and more nutritious dish. The earthy and nutty quinoa marries with jaggery or sugar sweetness, the richness of ghee or clarified butter aroma, and all-pervasive yet pungent spices like cardamom to make it a dessert that is improved by the garnishes of almonds, cashews, and raisins adding texture and delightful crunch. To prepare a quinoa sheera recipe, begin by washing quinoa meticulously to remove the natural bitterness. Then, lightly roast it in ghee with infusions of flavours and then boil it in water or milk for a complete softening, fluff up, and well-soaked. Then, when the quinoa is well done, add jaggery with a pinch of cardamom to make it fragrant; then boil until standoff our gravy-likee The topping of toasted nuts and dry fruits completes the dish, adding visual appeal as well as nutrition to the sheera. Sheera: An amazing dessert or healthy breakfast/skipping snack. With loads of protein, fibre, and essential minerals from quinoa, sheera turns out healthier in this version than the traditional one, without compromising on taste. This gluten-free and highly customizable sheera can be further flavoured by adding a teaspoon of saffron or coconut. This is perfect for health-conscious individuals because quinoa sheera provides a perfect balance of indulgence and nutrition, hence suitable for most occasions.

Ingredients required for Quinoa Sheera

1 cup quinoa
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
9 tbsp ghee
Cashews
10-12 raisins
1-2 cardamom pods

Cooking steps for Quinoa Sheera

1
To begin with, in the recipe for quinoa sheera, take 1 cup of quinoa and rinse it thoroughly under running water. This step helps remove the natural bitterness caused by quinoa's outer coating, called saponin. Once rinsed, drain the water completely. In a deep pan, combine the washed quinoa with 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as the milk and water start to bubble, reduce the heat to low.
2
Cook the quinoa for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. You will know the quinoa is cooked when it becomes fluffy and translucent, and all the liquid has been absorbed. Make sure the flame remains low after the liquid starts boiling to prevent the milk from spilling over.
3
Once the quinoa is fully cooked, continue keeping the pan on low heat. Add ¾ cup of sugar to the quinoa. Stir the mixture well, ensuring that the sugar is evenly blended into the quinoa.
4
As the sugar dissolves, the sheera will begin to take on a soft, pudding-like consistency. Keep stirring continuously so that the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan or form lumps. Allow the quinoa to absorb the sweetness of the sugar for about 5-7 minutes.
5
Now, pour in 1/2 cup of ghee into the quinoa-sugar mixture. Ghee not only gives quinoa sheera its rich, traditional flavour but also enhances the texture, making it smooth and glossy. Keep stirring continuously as the ghee gets absorbed into the mixture. You'll notice that the quinoa sheera will start leaving the sides of the pan and will have a cohesive, smooth texture. This is a sign that the sheera is done cooking. Once this happens, turn off the flame and let the mixture rest for a few minutes.
6
In a separate small pan or kadai, heat 2 teaspoons of ghee.
7
Add the cashew nuts and fry them on low heat until they turn golden brown. Be sure to stir frequently so that the nuts are evenly roasted and don't burn. Once the cashews are golden, add the raisins.
8
Fry the raisins until they puff up, which should take just a few seconds. Take the pan off the heat as soon as the raisins are fried, as they can burn quickly.
9
Add the fried cashew nuts and raisins to the prepared quinoa sheera. Mix everything to distribute the nuts and raisins evenly throughout the dish. If you prefer, you can also sprinkle a bit of freshly ground cardamom powder at this stage for an extra layer of aroma and flavour. The cardamom adds a traditional Indian touch that enhances the overall taste of the dessert.
10
Your quinoa sheera is now ready to be served.
11
You can serve it warm or at room temperature, depending on your preference. It makes for a great dessert after a meal or even as a breakfast option due to its healthy ingredients.

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FAQs

What is Quinoa Sheera? How is it different from traditional sheera?

This is a healthy variant of the old Indian sheera, famously called suji halwa, where quinoa has taken the place of semolina (suji). Making this dish by substituting the high-protein, gluten-free grain quinoa will give a much better nutritional value but retain all the sweetness and richness of the traditional sheera. Unlike the original recipe, it is made savoury by using ghee, cardamom, and sweetener in the form of jaggery or sugar, but it also consists of nuts and raisins for added crunch and flavour. The main difference here is that quinoa contains much more fibre, protein, and nutrients that our body requires daily.

Is Quinoa Sheera dessert healthy?

Yes, Quinoa Sheera is far healthier than the semolina-based sheera. It is because quinoa contains proteins, fibres, and essential amino acids, with nutritional content instead of loading the body with refined sugar. In addition, jaggery would be a natural sweetener; therefore, it would be much more wholesome than refined sugar . Ghee is the medium of cooking for this recipe, which infuses it with healthy fats, and it is accompanied by nuts and raisins, which are a good nutritional boost because they have loads of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It does not contain gluten, so it is great as a dessert that's healthy too.

Can Quinoa Sheera be modified to suit my dietary needs?

Yes, Quinoa Sheera is very versatile and can be adapted to several diets. For example, if it needs to be vegan, you can replace ghee with coconut oil or any plant-based oil. If sugar is to be reduced, you can try to reduce jaggery or even substitute that with stevia. You can also opt for flavours such as saffron, vanilla, or coconut milk to lend a richer flavour. The nuts and fruits also may be well chosen by your personal choice for a more personalized experience.