Mango kesari recipe with step by step photos – smooth, silky and a really good recipe of mango kesari.
Kesari is the South Indian version of Suji ka halwa. there are many variations of Kesari recipe and this mango kesari is one of them. Since mangoes are in season, I thought of sharing the recipe. Any sweet variety of mangoes can be used for the recipe, but just make sure that the mangoes are not fibrous.
You can even make mango kesari as a naivedyam or for religious occasions or pooja. Instead of water, milk can also be used. Addition of milk will make the kesari more rich. The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Addition of sugar depends on the sweetness of mangoes and your taste buds. So do add sugar as per your requirement. Instead of sugar you can also add jaggery as its a healthier option. If you want to use sugar then you can give preference to unrefined cane sugar over the regular white sugar (bleached one). For a no sugar option, just skip the sugar. Then the mango kesari will be faintly sweet in taste.
Serve mango kesari as a sweet or a dessert.
Few more tasty recipes for you!
mango kesari
INGREDIENTS
for mango puree
- 1 medium to large sized alphonso mangoes or ¾ cup chopped mangoes
- ⅓ cup sugar, or add as required
- 1 pinch saffron
- seeds from 3 green cardamoms
other ingredients for mango kesari
- 3 tablespoons ghee or any neutral flavored oil
- ½ cup rava or sooji (cream of wheat)
- 12 to 14 cashews
- ½ tablespoon raisins
- 1.5 cups water
INSTRUCTIONS
making mango puree for mango kesari
- Take 1 medium to large sized alphonso mango or any variety of mango.
- Chop it and add the mango pieces in a blender or mixer jar.
- You will need about¾ cup of chopped mangoes.
- Then add ⅓ cup sugar, 1 pinch saffron and seeds from 3 green cardamoms.
- Blend till smooth. Keep aside.
making mango kesari
- Now in a sauce pan, take 1.5 cups water and begin to heat it.
- In another pan or kadai, take 3 tablespoons ghee and let it melt.
- Keep the flame to low or medium-low and then add ½ cup fine rava (sooji).
- Also add 12 to 14 cashews.
- Roast the sooji in the ghee on a low to medium-low flame stirring often.
- The sooji has to be roasted well and should become aromatic. This is an important step and if the sooji is not roasted well, the halwa will become sticky or lumpy.
- By the time the rava is roasted, the cashews will also become light golden.
- Once the rava is roasted well then it will become aromatic and its color will also change. The rava grains start to look dry, separate and crisp. The ghee will also start separating.
- Meantime the water will also start boiling.
- Once the rava is roasted, then add the mango puree to it and mix well.
- Add the boiling hot water in a slow stream. Be careful as the mixture splutters.
- As soon as you add the hot water, quickly begin to stir the halwa, so that lumps are not formed. For best results use a wired whisk while stirring.
- You will see that the sooji absorbs water and the halwa begin to thicken.
- After stirring, cover the pan with a lid and on a low flame simmer the halwa for 2 to 3 minutes.
- All the water will be absorbed and the kesari will be done. If you want you can add some more ghee at this step.
- Serve mango rava kesari hot or warm or at room temperature. You can also take the mango kesari in small bowls or muffin cups.
- Once they become warm or cool, then remove them. Refrigerate the remaining mango kesari.
NOTES
- Recipe can be doubled.
- ⅓ cup sugar makes the mango kesari just sweet. For less sweetness, add ¼ cup sugar.
- Milk can be used instead of water.
- Dry fruits of your choice can be added.
- More ghee can be used if required.
- If using mango puree, then you can use approx ½ cup of mango puree.
NUTRITION INFO (approximate values)
How to make mango kesari recipe
1. Take 1 medium to large sized alphonso mango or any variety of mango. Chop it and add the mango pieces in a blender or mixer jar. You will need about ¾ cup of chopped mangoes. Do use sweet mangoes.
2. Then add ⅓ cup sugar, 1 pinch saffron and seeds from 3 green cardamoms.
3. Blend till smooth. Keep aside.
Making mango kesari
4. Now in a sauce pan, take 1.5 cups water and begin to heat it.
5. In another pan or kadai, take 3 tablespoons ghee and let it melt.
6. Keep the flame to low or medium-low and then add ½ cup fine rava (sooji or cream of wheat or semolina).
7. Also add 12 to 14 cashews (kaju).
8. Roast the sooji in the ghee on a low to medium-low flame stirring often.
9. The sooji (rava) has to be roasted well and should become aromatic. this is an important step and if the sooji is not roasted well, the halwa will become sticky or lumpy. by the time the rava is roasted, the cashews will also become light golden.
Once the rava is roasted well then it will become aromatic and its color will also change. The rava grains start to look dry, separate and crisp. The ghee will also start separating.
10. Meantime the water will also start boiling.
11. Once the rava is roasted, then add the mango puree to it.
12. Mix well.
13. Add the boiling hot water in a slow stream. Be careful as the mixture splutters.
14. As soon as you add the hot water, quickly begin to stir the halwa, so that lumps are not formed. For best results use a wired whisk while stirring.
15. You will see that the sooji absorbs water and the halwa begin to thicken.
16. After stirring, cover the pan with a lid and on a low flame simmer the halwa for 2 to 3 minutes.
17. All the water will be absorbed and the kesari will be done. If you want you can add some more ghee at this step.
18. Serve mango rava kesari hot or warm or at room temperature. you can also take the mango kesari in small bowls or muffin cups. Once they become warm or cool, then remove them. Refrigerate the remaining mango kesari.
What can i use instead of Ghee?
tanusree, you can use oil. use any neutral flavored oil.
dassana,the pic is fab & so is the recipe.tried it yesterday using milk.turned out perfect with just right amount of sweetness.loved it’s colour & taste.thanks
welcome meveera. thanks for sharing your positive feedback.
Hi,
How much of mango should be used if using mango puree from can.
Thanks,
Welcome Connie. You can use 1/2 cup of mango puree.