Halwa is called Shiro in Gujarati. Shakkaria no Shiro/Shakkarkand Halwa/Sweet-potato Halwa can be termed as a lesser-known cousin of Gajar ka Halwa. In the Gujarati cuisine, Shakkaria is placed under the category of vegetables/roots we eat during fasts therefore, (unfortunately) are not a part of the regular cooking. Winter sun, coal sigdi, roasting Shakkaria are the scenes I associate with my Ba. She loved spending her time under the karari gulabi-dhoop and roasting winter vegetables over the mellow embers. The roasted Shakkariu was later added to milk this bowl of goodness would be her dinner. Simple. If she desired, the roasted Shakkaria would also turn into a Shiro. Of course, it was not like this rich version I have shared here today. Ba’s version of this delicacy would not have mawa/khoa since she had a notorious sweet tooth rustling up shiro and raab using jaggery was a norm for her. I am sure Ba would have loved this richer and elaborate version too.
In Gujarat, a tradition that is followed with much fervour during Navratri is of building a Mallamata (the way we have Ganapati Stapna during Ganesh Utsav). The children of each residential colony/society build a small makeshift shrine called Mallamata, each evening for nine nights the families from the colony come together for Aarti and Garba. The Prasad remains an integral part of this evening puja, with children eyeing for a large portion of their favourite goodies.
We have always had Mallamata at our home, every day the Prasad spread at the Mallamata Aarti remains quite varied. Prasad like the Shakkaria no Shrio here becomes part of the meal that follows at home.
There are many references to making Shakkaria No Shiro, this one here is inspired from one that features in Bhojan No Anand by Ageshiye, a boutique hotel in Ahmedabad. A place I associate with heritage and heirloom, with great aesthetics and flower Mandalas all around!!
I hope you enjoy the Shakkaria No Shiro as much as I have 😍
Shakkaria no Shiro
Ingredients
- 1+1/4th cup steamed and grated shakkaria/sweet potato (150 grams by weight)
- 1 cup khoa/mawa, grated
- 3/4 cup sugar (refer notes)
- 1/3 cup ghee, melted
- a pinch of powdered green cardamom or nutmeg
Instructions
Before you begin cooking the Shakkaria no Shiro, prepare the ingredients.
Grate the steamed and peeled sweet-potatoes to have an even texture.
Also grate the Khoa for easy blending.
In a heavy bottom Kadai (preferable the traditional iron kadai) add the ghee.
Once the ghee has warmed up, add the grated sweet-potatoes.
Keep the flame gentle.
Roast the sweet-potato in the ghee until the moisture evaporates.
Now add the grated khoa, mix in well can continue to cook, till it takes a little colour.
The mix as it roasts/cooks will feel light as well.
Add the sugar, cook the mixture until it releases ghee.
You will notice ghee oozing around the sides.
Mix in the cardamom powder.
Turn off the flame.
Transfer it on to a serving plate.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
You can pressure cook the shakkaria if you wish to but they tend to get soggy, hence I have steamed them over a sieve in a pressure cooker. I have used powdered Khadi Sakar/rock sugar, so I needed less. Also, the sweet-potatoes I used were quite sweet hence I needed less sugar. Please adjust the sugar to your taste. The Mawa I used was plain homemade mawa that had caramelised during cooking. Cooking it in iron kadai gives Shakkaria no Shiro (any mithai) a nice karara texture.
2 Comments
pavlomi patel
July 6, 2021 at 1:06 amHey Shital
Just to let you know that your recipies are very creative.
I feel blessed I came acroos your site when searching for a pariticular recipe.
Thank You so much.
Sheetal
July 16, 2021 at 11:24 pmThank you so much Pavlomi. It feels so encouraging to read such lovely feedbacks. 🙂 I hope you continue to like it here!!