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5.0 from 3 votes

Instant Pot Sooji Halwa - Rava Sheera

Instant Pot Sooji Halwa - Rava Kesari / Sheera. Vegan Indian Spoon Fudge. Add pineapple or bananas for Pineapple or Banana Sheera. Can be nutfree, glutenfree

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 479 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian , Vegan

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp Vegan Butter or Oil
  • 1 cup sooji (semolina, not semolina flour)
  • 5 tbsp cashews
  • 10 to 12 dates chopped
  • 8 to 10 tbsp sugar (date sugar, coconut sugar, jaggery powder or regular - some sugars are not as sweet, so use 2 tbsp more for sweeter
  • 1/8 tsp salt , 1/4 tsp if using oil
  • 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 8 strands of saffron
  • 3 cups water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Press saute on the Instant Pot. When hot, add vegan butter or oil. Add cashews and roast for a minute.
  2. Add dates and roast for half a minute. Add the semolina and cook for 2 mins, stirring occasionally. The semolina will start to get puffy.
  3. Switch off saute. Add the sugar, salt, cardamom and saffron and mix.
  4. Add water and mix well. You can also add 1/2 cup finely chopped pineapple or banana at this point to make pineapple kesari or banana kesari.
  5. Mix to pick up all the semolina from the bottom and the sides. Mix for a few seconds so the sugar dissolves.
  6. Close the lid, pressure cook for 3 mins. Release the pressure after 10 mins
  7. Mix and Fluff and serve garnished with a pinch of ground cardamom and almond, pistachio slivers.

Notes

  • To make this gluten-free: Use cream of rice or other hot cereal which is similar texture as cream of wheat. 
  • Omit the nuts for nut-free
  •  
  • Oil-free: To make this oil-free follow the Stove top method below. Without oil,  halwa will tend to stick or burn in the IP.
  •  
  • Stovetop: Heat 3.5 cups of water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add oil (or omit) in another saucepan over medium heat. Add semolina and roast in oil or dry roast for 6 to 7 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the cashews and dates and continue to roast for another 1-2 mins or until the semolina changes color lightly and looks puffy. Add salt, cardamom and mix in. Add the boiling water +sugar mix slowly and keep stirring until well combined. Cook for 3 mins. Mix well. Cover and take off heat. Let sit for another 3 mins, then fluff and serve.
  •  
  • Nutrition is for 1 Serve

Nutrition Information

Calories 479kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 79g (26%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 84mg (4%) Potassium 297mg (8%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 43g (86%) Calcium 25mg (3%) Iron 2.9mg (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 479

% Daily Value*

Calories 479kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 79g 26%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 16g 25%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 84mg 4%
Potassium 297mg 6%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 43g 86%
Calcium 25mg 3%
Iron 2.9mg 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.