Atte Ka Sheera (Dodhi)
“Keep some souvenirs of your past, or how will you prove it wasn’t all a dream?”
One of the reasons I wanted to start this blog was to record some of my family recipes that I felt would be lost (with their makers) if I did not document them. I wanted my son to taste the food I grew up eating and also, perhaps, to keep a part of my childhood alive. My grandmother’s Atte Ka Sheera (or Dodhi as we called it) is one of those beloved dishes.
She was a peculiar woman, my Biji (bless her heart). Petite and frail, but with the stubborn strength to to run a separate kitchen and cook her own food. She prayed a lot, kept to herself and wasn’t overtly affectionate, but she did occasionally surprise us with a bowl of her luscious rabri loaded with orange segments she had painstakingly peeled by hand, or a plate of hot poodas after an unexpected downpour, Karah Prashaad on Gurpurab, or a soothing mug of a delicious concoction she called Dodhi… a thick custard made with ghee, whole wheat flour, milk, almonds, cardamom and sugar. It was not of drinkable consistency and best eaten with a spoon. It was her signature recipe and what she termed as “brain food.” Many nights when my sister and I would be up late studying, we secretly hoped that Biji would make an appearance armed with two mugs of her nourishing beverage. The taste of my grandmother’s Dodhi has lingered on my tastebuds for years and is perhaps my most favorite memory associated with her.
I attempted to recreate it and I am happy my version is very close to the original (even happier that my son loved it as much as me). Heartwarming and satisfying in a way only the combination of gluten, fat and sugar can be, it is (for the lack of a better description) a warm hug in a mug. It takes only a few minutes and handful of ingredients to prepare. Whip up a batch on a rainy evening or when sudden dessert cravings hit, you won’t be disappointed.
Recipe
Atte Ka Sheera/Dodhi
(Serves 2)
Ingredients
2 tsp ghee (measured when congealed at room temperature)
2 1/2 (level) tbsp whole wheat flour (atta)
3 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and powdered
2 cups milk (whole milk works best, but you can use any milk of your choice)
1 tbsp almonds, ground into a coarse powder
Sugar/jaggery to taste
Method
In a heavy based saucepan, melt the ghee over low heat.
Add the whole wheat flour and roast it, whisking continuously to make sure it does not catch at the bottom or around the sides of the pan.
Once the flour starts to change color and turns aromatic, slowly stir in the milk. Whisk well to make sure there are no lumps. Turn the heat up to medium and continue whisking until the mixture starts to thicken.
Stir in the ground almonds, cardamom powder and sugar to taste. Continue whisking for a few more minutes until the sheera reaches a pouring custard-like consistency (it should be thick enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon).
Remove from heat, pour into two cups or bowls and enjoy the sheera warm.
