Rajgira Halwa Recipe with step by step photos and short video. Rajgira halwa / sheera is a melt in mouth delicious dessert made with rajgira flour , milk , jaggery , ghee and flavoured with cardamom.
It is a gluten free dessert mainly consumed during vrat / fasting. Try this simple and nutritious dessert to satiate your sweet cravings or on any fasting day .
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About this recipe
Rajgira Halwa is also known as Rajgira Sheera . Its a very simple recipe like any other sheera. Initially , rajgira flour needs to be roasted in ghee/ clarified butter until a nutty aroma . Then mixed with luke warm milk till flour absorbs all liquid. Finally , add sugar or jaggery for sweetness. As my preference is jaggery over sugar , I have used organic jaggery powder. You can use anything of your choice. For flavoring I have used cardamom , dry ginger and pinch of nutmeg powder .
For vegan option , instead of milk you can use Almond Milk , cashew milk or coconut milk.
In case if you are opting for coconut milk be sure to cook on very low heat and then add jaggery or coconut sugar . As adding jaggery may split the milk if overcooked on high heat.
Why Rajgira on fasting ?
Rajgira is loaded with nutrients like calcium , iron and essential amino acid. The protein in rajgira reduces insulin levels in the blood stream and releases a hormone that reduces hunger.Also its very light on stomach and digests easily.
What is Rajgira?
Rajgira is also known as Ramdana in North India , in English it's Amaranth. Amar means “immortal” or “everlasting” in Sanskrit . As this is a very healthy grain and is filled with nutrition ; its believed that eating this grain keeps one immortal. Hence the name Rajgira
Rajigira Nutrition
Rajgira is very rich in Calcium and also high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium . This is the only grain which contains Vitamin C. Rajgira also has far more lysine, an essential amino acid, which the body does not manufacture, compared to other grains.
Health Benefits of Rajgira / Amaranth
- Rajgira reduces risk of osteoporosis, as it has 2X amount of calcium as milk.
- Lysine is a essential amino acid needed to metabolise fatty acids , helps to absorb calcium, and is essential for strong, thick hair.
- Consuming rajgira on a daily basis, can help improve one’s eyesight and is also good for one’s complexion.
- It is full of antioxidants, vitamin C, E, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, which are necessary for overall health.
- Research also shows that it can be used to suppress hunger because the protein reduces insulin levels in the blood stream and releases a hormone that curtails hunger.
If you are looking for vrat / upvas dessert recipes , I recommend you to check these nutritious and healthy desserts : Sweet potato halwa , Pumpkin halwa , Dumroot | Kashi halwa
Watch Video
Step by step directions to make Rajgira Halwa
In a non-stick pan, heat ¼ cup ghee/ clarified butter.
Keep on a low flame, add ½ cup of rajgira flour
and roast till aromatic, approximately it may take 5 to 6 minutes. But depending on the freshness and quality of the flour, time may vary; plus or minus 2-3 minutes. In case if you can’t make out aromatic smell, then just roast until it looks like a dough.
Now add in luke warm milk and mix well briskly. Make sure that no lumps are formed. Don’t use hot milk here, you can only use boiled milk at room temperature or just luke warm. Adding hot milk may sometimes forms lumps in the flour.
When milk is completely absorbed.
Add organic jaggery powder.
Mix well everything, when everything blends well and starts to come together, it reaches halwa consistency.
Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and nutmeg powder, mix well everything.
Turn off the stove , garnish with chopped nuts.
Serve hot or warm.
Recipe
Rajgira Halwa Recipe | Rajigira Sheera
Ingredients
- ½ cup Rajgira / Amaranth Flour
- ¼ cup Ghee / Clarified Butter
- 1 cup Milk
- ⅔ cup Jaggery powder or Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Dry Ginger Powder
- 1 pinch Nutmeg / Jaiphal powder
Instructions
- In a non-stick pan, heat ¼ cup ghee/ clarified butter.
- Keep on a low flame, add ½ cup of rajgira flour and roast till aromatic, approximately it may take 5 to 6 minutes. But depending on the freshness and quality of the flour, time may vary; plus or minus 2-3 minutes. In case if you can’t make out aromatic smell, then just roast until it looks like a dough.
- Now add in luke warm milk and mix well briskly. Make sure that no lumps are formed. Don’t use hot milk here, you can only use boiled milk at room temperature or just luke warm. Adding hot milk may sometimes forms lumps in the flour.
- When milk is completely absorbed. Add organic jaggery powder.
- Mix well everything, when everything blends well and starts to come together, it reaches halwa consistency.
- Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and nutmeg powder, mix well everything.
- Turn off the stove , garnish with chopped nuts and serve hot or warm.
Jai says
Thank you for the recipie. I made the halwa for shravan upvas. It was delicious. Everyone enjoyed it. I used a little less jaggery than what the recipe asked for since I am controlling sugar.