Besan ka sheera / Turmeric saffron Gram flour Sheera
Turmeric saffron gram flour sheera or Besan ka sheera is a thick liquidy pudding /drink made with gram flour, turmeric, saffron and water/milk. Besan ka sheera is very effective home remedy for cold and cough. It’s a very common reference in any Indian household.
Turmeric has healing properties. There are many healing recipes using turmeric. Turmeric Latte /Golden Milk being one of them. Turmeric is anti-bacterial, anti-viral and also anti-inflammatory.
Saffron too has been considered beneficial in Ayurveda as well by modern medical world. Saffron has a sedative action. Saffron is known to act on the nervous system. It works both as an analgesic and also has healing power. It’s good for digestion too. Besan sheera with turmeric and saffron works on the whole body to provide instant relief.
One can have Besan sheera/ Turmeric saffron gram flour sheera any time of the day, but it works best if had at night just before you’re ready to go to bed. In earlier days, hot sheera was the staple remedy for cold and could. My mother used to just make hot sheera at night. Hot sheera gives instant relief to the throat pain and open the nose allowing you to sleep peacefully.
After having sheera one feels really thirsty, but make sure you do not drink any water. If you really can’t resist, then have a bit if warm water only half an hour later.
If you get little resort from cold, then you may repeat it for 2-3 days’ time for better relief.
Besan / Gram flour is Gluten free so this Besan sheera can be consumed by gluten sensitive people. If you are vegan then you may substitute milk with any dairy free option like, almond milk etc. or just omit the milk and prepare it with only water.
besan sheera
Ingredients
- 1 cup Besan / Gram flour
- 4 tbsp Desi Ghee/ Clarified Butter
- 3-4 Green Cardamom crushed
- 5-6 tbsp sugar /jaggery
- 1/4 tsp turmeric haldi
- 2 pinches saffron kesar
- 5-6 Almonds crushed / chopped
- pinch salt
Instructions
- In a pan add ghee/clarified butter and gram flour and whole-wheat flour and roast on low flame .Keep stirring for even color and so the flour is evenly cooked.
- Also it avoids burning. You need to keep cooking till a slight aroma of besan/gram flour comes. This indicates that the flour has been cooked/roasted.
- While you were cooking the flour, in another saucepan, add water,saffron,sugar,green cardamom.
- One it boils and the sugar dissolves add the milk and put off the flame. Keep aside.
- Add the water mix to the flour mix slowly and gradually while stirring continuously. Be careful as the flour mix rises as you put water so please do it very slowly and carefully.
- Keep stirring
- Chop the almonds
- Once the water is mixed nicely and the right consistency just put off the flame and serve hot. Add the almonds just before serving
Recipe Notes
- For Vegan: you may either make it with water or add a dairy free substitute like almond milk.
- Its gluten free: so an excellent remedy for gluten sensitive people.
- If you wish to make it a little thick or like half , then you may also add 1 tbsp whole wheat flour and cook till water evaporates. You may also add 2-3 tbsp extra ghee/clarified butter to make it into a Besan ka halwa. It is served best as a dessert to your kids and guests. Ideal to be had during rainy season.
- I add the pinch of salt to just bring out the flavors and also making besan / gram flour a bit more easy on the tummy.