We as children always used line up for different prasada/offering/prasadam during festivals or pooja or other rituals. Some of the favourites being Panchamrutha, Tirupati Ladoo and definitely Satyanarayana Prasada. Satyanarayana prasada or sapada bhakshya is a super special kind of sheera made during Satyanarayana Vratha Pooja. How can it not be delicious when it is made for a special occasion with the best of ingredients!
Many of them do feel intimidated by the thought of making Satyanarayana Prasada. Simply because the occasion can be overwhelming or the fact that you are making it as prasada to distribute to people. But do not fear, there is a simple and easy way to make Satyanarayana prasada. Use good quality ingredients and do not do other things in parallel. Just concentrate on this and the secret is, well are you ready? Ghee! Yes good fresh ghee is essential to make a delicious prasada.
Once you make it, give it a chance to rest and let it absorb all the ghee. The sweetness gets incorporated with the rava and all the nuts and bananas too! Adding the ingredients in the right order will ensure you can make a good flavourful prasada. Once done, cover with a plantain leaf until naivedya time and keep it in a separate clean place. This is a special sheera recipe, other kesari/sheera recipes are: haal kesari, pineapple kesari and mango kesari.
- ¾ Cup chiroti rava/small sooji
- ¾ Cup sugar
- ½ Cup + 1 Tbsp ghee
- 2¼ Cups full cream milk
- 7-8 powdered elaichi
- 15 cashews chopped
- 2 Tbsp raisins
- 2 ripe bananas
- Keep all the ingredients ready, chop the cashews, powder the elaichi and keep aside
- In a pan, pour ghee and let it melt
- Drop in the broken cashews and start frying
- Let them roast lightly, then add raisins and start mixing
- The raisins will plump up and the ghee slightly froths up
- Next add the rava and mix well
- The rava absorbs all the ghee and starts roasting lightly
- Heat milk on low flame, no need to boil it
- Turn off the heat on the rava pan, slowly pour milk and mix slowly, ensure there are no lumps
- The rava absorbs all the milk, even off the heat
- Now add chopped bananas and start mixing, do not mash
- Bring it back to heat on low flame
- Now add sugar and mix well, the sugar melts
- Once the sugar is all incorporated into the rava mixture, sprinkle elaichi and mix well
- Lastly add a Tbsp of ghee and mix well
- Cover and cook for further 2-3 minutes on low flame
- Let it rest, offer as prasada during Satyanarayana Vratha pooja and serve in small plantain leaves
Always use full cream milk and add it off the flame
Ensure the bananas are ripe and sweet
Do not skimp on the ghee, it is absolutely essential to get the texture and flavour
The recipe can easily be doubled in quantity, adjust ghee slightly, you may require little less or more
Satyanarayana Prasada Stepwise:
Keep all the ingredients ready, chop the cashews, powder the elaichi and keep aside
In a pan, pour ghee and let it melt
Drop in the broken cashews and start frying
Let them roast lightly, then add raisins and start mixing
The raisins will plump up and the ghee slightly froths up
Next add the rava and mix well
The rava absorbs all the ghee and starts roasting lightly
Heat milk on low flame, no need to boil it
Turn off the heat on the rava pan, slowly pour milk and mix slowly, ensure there are no lumps
The rava absorbs all the milk, even off the heat
Now add chopped bananas and start mixing, do not mash
Bring it back to heat on low flame
Now add sugar and mix well, the sugar melts
Once the sugar is all incorporated into the rava mixture, sprinkle elaichi and mix well
Lastly add a Tbsp of ghee and mix well
Cover and cook for further 2-3 minutes on low flame
Let it rest, offer as prasada during Satyanarayana Vratha pooja and serve in small plantain leaves or donne
