Rava kesari recipe | How to make rava kesari | Kesari recipe

Rava kesari recipe – A quick South Indian dessert made of semolina, sugar, ghee and nuts. This recipe will yield you delicious, flavorful, soft and fluffy rava kesari just under 25 mins.

What is rava kesari?

Rava kesari is a popular sweet dish from South Indian cuisine made of rava or suji, ghee, sugar, kesari and nuts. Rava means semolina and kesari means saffron color, the key ingredient that brightens up the dish.

It is made often in most house holds due to its simplicity. It is eaten as a breakfast dessert or as a after meal dessert.

This is most commonly offered as naivedyam to the Hindu gods or deities during pooja, festivals & auspicious days like Ganesh chaturthi, Navratri, krishna ashtami etc.

Rava kesari is similar to the North Indian Suji halwa. In some parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra this is called as Sheera. But these are made without color.

This rava kesari is made without any unhealthy food color, a fat pinch of saffron has been used. If you do not have saffron, you can use natural edible color.

How to make best rava kesari?

1. The key to making best rava kesari lies in the ratio of rava, water and ghee. The proportions shared below yield soft, light and fluffy kesari that isn’t too greasy.
2. Roasting rava in ghee until slightly crunchy and aromatic is also important. This prevents the dish from turning sticky and makes it really delicious.
3. Stirring consistently while pouring water to the rava is very important as it prevents lumps.

Can you use milk to make rava kesari?

Yes, milk can be used instead of water. I personally prefer to use half water and half milk. Using only milk makes the sweet heavy.

Rava kesari varieties

There are many variations of rava kesari like kesari bath, pala kesari, pineapple kesari, mango kesari, semiya kesari or fruit kesari recipe. Here are a few I have shared on the blog
Pineapple kesari
Orange kesari
Fruit kesari
Milk kesari

You can also check this Semiya kesari

Rava kesari recipe

 

Preparation for rava kesari recipe

1. Heat 2 table spoons of ghee in a heavy bottom pot. Fry cashews until slightly golden.

2. Add raisins and fry until they turn plump. Remove them to a plate.

3. Next pour the rava. Mix well to coat the rava in ghee.

4. Begin to roast the rava well on a low to medium heat until crunchy and slightly aromatic. Do not brown it.

5. While the semolina is getting roasted, bring water to a boil in a pot.

How to make kesari

6. When the water comes to a rolling boil, pour it to the rava slowly in a stream. Stirring consistently with the other hand. Make sure the flame is medium at this stage.

7. There should be no lumps.

8. Continue to cook stirring consistently until the water is absorbed completely.

9. Lower the flame and cook covered for 2 to 3 mins.

10. Add sugar and mix well. Sugar melts and makes the mixture gooey. Then continue to cook until all the moisture evaporates.

11. Sprinkle cardamom powder and kesari color. I used 2 pinches of saffron soaked in 2 tbsps hot water. If you do not have the kesari, just skip it.

12. Next add 3 to 4 tbsp ghee. I used 3 tbsp.

13. Mix well and continue to cook until the mixture leaves the pan. Cook covered for 2 mins. This is optional.

Garnish rava kesari with nuts and raisins. You can fluff up with a fork.