housewivesdiary: RAVA KESARI/KESARI BHAT

RAVA KESARI/KESARI BHAT

Rava Kesari is a decadent south Indian dessert made using semolina or sooji with oodles of ghee and sugar. It is often prepared during festivals and also you will find rava kesari in restaurants down south. It is so simple to make yet tastes divine with a perfect soft melt in mouth texture.

Rava Kesari also known as Kesari Bhat is almost similar to the good old sooji ka halwa, the only difference is the bright orange color. To achieve the orange color you can either use saffron/kesar or orange food color.

Most of the halwa/kesari recipes use 1(rava/semolina):2(water) instead I use three parts of water to achieve soft texture.

Preparation Time : 2 mins

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

· 1 cup sooji/rava/semolina

· 3/4^th cup sugar (add more if you like it really sweet!!!)

· ½ cup ghee/clarified butter

· 4 to 5 cardamom seeds powder

· 8 to 10 cashews nuts cut into halves

· A pinch of orange food color (optional)

· 3 cups of water

Method:

On a low flame, heat the ghee in a deep heavy bottom saucepan/vessel.

Simultaneously in another pan dissolve the sugar in the water over low heat and keep on simmer, till required.

Once the ghee is hot add broken cashew nuts and fry until golden brown and keep them aside.

Now add the sooji/semolina/rava to hot ghee and stir fry on a medium heat. Keep stirring continuously to avoid rava/semolina sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir frying will take approximately 5 to7 minutes ensuring that rava doesn’t get much color.

Now slowly and very carefully (there are chances that it might splutter) start pouring is the hot sugar solution, add cardamom powder and orange food color to the rava/semolina.

Star stirring the mixture to avoid the rava/semolina from forming lumps.

Rava/Semolina will start absorbing the sugar solution and swell up at this stage add fried cashew nuts.

Keep stirring at regular intervals until the rava kesari starts to leave the saucepan edges.

Serve the Rava Kesari/Kesari Bhat garnished with dry fruits to your near and dear ones.