kesari recipe | rava kesari

Rava kesari recipe with step by step photos. It is a popular and delicious South Indian sweet made from rava. In Hindi ‘rava’ is also known as ‘sooji’ and in English as semolina. Rava kesari is made during festivals as well as during poojas or auspicious occasions. It is also made for breakfast.

What is rava kesari

The term “rava kesari” means semolina pudding which is flavored with saffron and orangish in color. Since the dish is made with rava or sooji and has an orange color, hence the name rava kesari. The word kesari means orange color tones and in some instances also means saffron – which is called as kesar.

The main ingredients in a rava kesari are ghee, rava, sugar, water and saffron or orange food color.

Rava kesari’s North Indian counterpart is Sooji ka halwa Which is also equally popular and tastes good. In Maharashtra and Gujarat this same dish is called as sheera. However, there are some variations in the preparations of sooji halwa, sheera and rava kesari.

In Karnataka rava kesari is known as kesari bhath. for breakfast, both khara bath (uppittu or upma) and Kesari bath are served together and this combination is called as chow chow bath.

The difference between rava kesari and sooji halwa or sheera is the color. Also more amounts of ghee and sugar are used in a rava kesari as compared to sooji halwa or sheera. But the main difference is the color.

Rava kesari has an orange color. Generally synthetic orange food color is added while making kesari. Addition of ghee and sugar can always be minimized when making rava kesari at home. In this kesari recipe, I have added slightly less quantities of both ghee and sugar.

Since I don’t use any synthetic colors in food, I have used saffron and a natural orange color extract to give the orangish color tones. Addition of only saffron will give yellow tones and not orange. Apart from that saffron gives a nice flavor and aroma to it. if you want orange tones, then add orange food color. Better to use a natural orange color or natural yellow color extract.

Rava kesari varieties

Using the basic recipe of rava kesari many variations are possible. Add milk and you get milk kesari. Add mixed fruits or just one type of fruit and you get a nice fruity flavored kesari.

 some delicious variations of rava kesari I have earlier shared are :

1. Fruits kesari – made with mixed fruits
2. Pineapple kesari – made with chopped fresh pineapples
3. Mango kesari – made with mangoes
4. Milk kesari – rich version of kesari recipe made with milk

Tips to make the best and perfect rava kesari

• Remember to Roast the rava very well. This step is important because if rava is not roasted well then you will not get perfect texture in the kesari. There will also be a slight raw taste in the rava kesari.
• Use fine rava also known as Bombay rava for making kesari.
• Stir frequently while roasting rava for even cooking. the rava should release ghee once its roasted well.
• When adding the sugar solution to the hot rava+ghee mixture, make sure that the sugar solution is bubbling hot.
• Add the sugar solution slowly and carefully as the rava mixture splutters.
• You can also use packaged roasted rava. But make sure that the rava is roasted well. Sometimes the readymade roasted rava is not completely roasted.
• You can also use milk instead of water. This makes the kesari more rich. Use same amount of milk as the quantity of water mentioned in the recipe.
• To get a melt in the mouth rava kesari, the proportion of rice and water to be used is 1:2.5 for both rava and water respectively. You can even add 3 cups water, which gives a slightly moist rava kesari.

I had made rava kesari as naivedya for Bhagwan Ganesha during the first day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Was not able to post the recipe all the time. Finally posting when Bhagwan Ganesha is leaving today. Bidding a sweet adieu to Bhagwan Ganesha. Kesari can also be made during any Indian festival like janmashtami, Ugadi, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan or Holi.

How to make rava kesari recipe

For ease of understanding, I have divided this recipe into 4 main steps.

• Step 1 – frying dry fruits
• Step 2 – roasting rava
• Step 3 – making sugar syrup
• Step 4 – making rava kesari

Lets start with step 1 – frying dry fruits

1: in a heavy kadai or a thick bottomed pan take 6 tablespoons ghee.

2. Heat ghee on a medium-low flame till it melts completely.

3. Add 3 tablespoons cashews.

4. Begin to fry cashews stirring them often.

5. Fry cashews till golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

6. Next add 1 tablespoon raisins in the hot ghee.

7. Stirring non-stop fry the raisins.

8. The raisins will become plump and swell.

9. As soon as the raisins become plump, remove them and keep aside along with the fried cashews.

Roasting rava to make kesari

10. Now reduce flame to a low and add 1 cup fine rava (160 grams) to the ghee.

11. Mix well.

12. Begin to roast rava on a low to medium-low flame. Stir often.

13. Stir frequently while roasting rava for even cooking.

14. The color of the rava should not become brown. Roasting rava takes approx 9 to 11 minutes on a low to medium-low flame. Timing will vary with the type and make of the kadai or pan and the flame intensity.

15. roast till you can see the ghee getting separated and the color of rava will also change. A nice aroma will also emanate from the roasted rava.

Making sugar syrup

16. When you begin to roast rava, at that time take ¾ cup sugar (190 to 200 grams) in a sauce pan. The sugar syrup needs to be cooked simultaneously while roasting rava.

17. Add 2 to 3 pinches of saffron strands.

18. Add 2.5 cups water. you can also add a natural yellow or orange color extract. I added 2 drops of natural orange color extract.

19. Keep the pan on stovetop and on a medium to medium-high flame begin to heat the sugar solution.

20. When you keep the pan on the stove-top for heating, at that time stir with a spoon so that all the sugar is dissolved.

21. Bring this sugar solution to a rolling boil. In case the sugar solution has come to a boil, but rava has not yet roasted, then reduce the flame to a low and simmer the sugar solution for a couple of minutes – so that it stays hot. However do not simmer for a long time as then the sugar consistency will change and the syrup can become sticky or have the sugar thread consistencies.

Making rava kesari

22. By the time the sugar solution starts boiling, the rava will also get roasted well.

23. Lower the flame and now carefully pour the sugar-saffron solution in the ghee-rava mixture in a steady stream and slowly.

24. Take care while pouring as the mixture splutters. In this kesari recipe lumps are not formed as the quantity of water is more. In case if lumps do form then just break them with the spatula or spoon.

25. Stir and mix very well. Break lumps, if any while mixing.

26. Cook the mixture on a low to medium-low flame stirring often.

27. The rava or sooji will absorb the water and swell and the mixture will begin to thicken. It will be soft and moist and the consistency will be like that of pudding.

28. When the mixture starts thickening, add the fried cashews and raisins reserving a few for garnish.

29. Also add ½ teaspoon cardamom powder. At this step you can also add a pinch of edible camphor if you want.

30. Mix very well.

31. Stir till the mixture releases some ghee and the rava has absorbed all the water and cooked well. Also you should not see any whitish or creamish tiny specks on the rava. If you see then this means that the rava is still not cooked well.

32. Then switch off the flame and cover the pan for 5 minutes just to allow the rava kesari to steam.

33. After five minutes, remove the lid. Stir rava kesari. if you want to make slices, then immediately pour the rava kesari in a steel pan or tray. Spread evenly and when warm or cooled, cut into diamond shaped or square slices.

34. Serve rava kesari hot or warm. Garnish with a few of the reserved fried cashews and raisins while serving. You can also serve it as a side sweet dish.

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