Rava Kesari

Rava kesari is a popular South Indian sweet made from semolina during the festive season. Rava kesari’s North Indian counterpart is sooji ka halwa.

PREP TIME : 5 mins,                   COOK TIME : 10 mins                 TOTAL TIME :15 mins

RECIPE TYPE: dessert                CUISINE: south Indian                SERVES: 3-4

INGREDIENTS

(measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 1 cup fine rava or sooji or semolina
• 5 to 6 tbsp ghee
• ¾ to 1 cup sugar or as required
• 2 cups water
• 2 to 3 pinches of saffron threads/kesar
• 4-5 green cardamom pods, husked and powdered or ½ tsp cardamom powder
• ¼ cup halved or chopped cashews

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Crush the cardamoms to a semi fine powder in a mortar-pestle and keep aside.
2. Also crush the saffron threads in the same mortar-pestle and keep aside.
3. Keep a kadai or pan on a low flame.
4. Add the ghee and when the ghee is heating up, do the following.
5. Take the sugar and water in another pan.
6. Keep this pan on a medium to high flame and let the solution come to a boil.
7. Also add the powdered saffron or kesar to the sugar solution.
8. Once the ghee becomes hot, add the semolina and keep on stirring while adding the semolina.
9. Immediately add the cashews and keep on stirring the mixture.
10. In the meanwhile keep your eyes also on the sugar solution.
11. If the mixture starts to boil, then lower the flame and let it simmer.
12. Keep on stirring the semolina for 7-8 mins and when the grains change their color and when the cashews also change to a light golden, we have to add the bubbling hot sugar and water solution.
13. Increase the flame to high for the sugar solution to bubble and when it starts to bubble in a matter of seconds, immediately add it to the hot semolina mixture.
14. Be careful as the mixture has the tendency to splutter.
15. Be quick enough to stir and keep on stirring till the whole mixture starts thickening and starts to leave the edge of the kadai or pan.
16. Keep a tight lid on the top or place a heavy weight on the lid.
17. Switch off the flame and allow the rava kesari to steam for 5-6 minutes.
18. Now remove the lid and serve the rava kesari hot or warm.

NOTES

You can add a few table spoons of ghee if you want in the rava kesari