Semiya Kesari
Semiya kesari recipe with step by step photos – A sweet festive dish made with vermicelli, dry fruits and ghee. It’s a quick and easy recipe that can be made for any festival or enjoy as an after meal dessert.
I wanted to add semiya kesari recipe from a long time. Had made the recipe some days back. So I took photos and sharing the recipe now.
There’s not really much that goes into making the Semiya Kesari. Thus, making it one of the most sought-after dessert choices that can be made during festivals and other special occasions as well.
Since it hardly takes any time to cook this kesari, it is just apt for such situations. Also, it is a delicious variant that you can enjoy when you’re just bored of having your regular halwa.
Preparing semiya kesari is similar to preparing Rava kesari. You can use any type of semiya like rice or whole wheat. Just add water proportions as mentioned on the pack. I have used the rice vermicelli for this recipe of mine. To get an authentic flavor in the dish, it is best to cook it in ghee.
Apart from this, the dry fruits that go in this Semiya Kesari can be of your choice. In this recipe, I have used cashews and raisins.
For the orange color, I have used both saffron and natural orange color extract. You can even use a few pinches of turmeric powder, if you do not have saffron. But turmeric powder will give you a yellow color, which is fine. Even just using saffron will give the kesari a yellow color.
How to make Semiya Kesari
1. Begin with taking 2 cups water in a sauce pan.
2. Then add ¼ cup sugar to the water. The sugar in this recipe is just enough. For a more sweet taste, you can add more sugar.
3. Keep the sugar solution on a medium heat and let it come to a boil.
4. Next heat a pan and then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee in the pan.
5. Melt the ghee and then add 10 to 12 cashews.
6. Saute till the cashews become light golden.
7. When cashews become light golden, then add ½ tablespoon of raisins.
8. Stir and saute till the raisins swell and puff up.
9. Then remove both the cashews and raisins and keep them aside in a plate.
Roasting Semiya
10. Add ½ cup semiya to the pan. You can use either rice vermicelli or whole wheat vermicelli. Here I have used rice vermicelli.
11. On a low heat roast the semiya for 2 to 3 minutes.
12. Meanwhile when the water comes to a boil, add a pinch of saffron strands.
13. Let the water come to a rolling boil.
14. I also added natural orange food color extract. Skip food color and saffron/kesar if you do not have them and just add one to two pinches of turmeric powder in the water.
15. Meanwhile the semiya has got roasted. You don’t need to brown semiya.
Making Semiya Kesari
16. Now pour the hot water gently in the pan containing semiya. Be careful while adding water as there is a lot of spluttering.
17. Simmer on a low to medium heat.
18. Add ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder.
19. Stir and mix well.
20. On a low to medium heat cook the semiya. If you want you can cover the pan too.
21. All the water has to be absorbed and the semiya should cook well.
22. If the water is absorbed and the semiya is under cooked or half done, then add ¼ cup more hot water. Keep some hot water handy if required.
Depending on the quality of seviyan used, you can add less or more water. I used rice semiya. You can use whole wheat vermicelli too. The semiya should be cooked well and all the water should be absorbed.
23. Then next add the sauteed cashews and raisins. Keep a few cashews and raisins for garnish.
24. Stir and mix well.
25. Serve semiya kesari hot or warm or at room temperature, garnished with the cashews and raisins.
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Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 85 grams rice semiya or ½ cup rice seviyan/semiyan (can use whole wheat semiyan too. just add water accordingly)
- 90 grams sugar or ¼ cup sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Ghee
- 10 to 12 cashews
- ½ tablespoon raisins
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder or 2 to 3 green cardamons, crushed in mortar-pestle
- 2 to 3 drops of natural orange food coloring
- 1 pinch of saffron strands
- 2 cups water
Instructions
preparation
- Begin with taking 2 cups water in a sauce pan.
- Then add ¼ cup sugar to the water. The sugar in this recipe is just enough. For a more sweet taste, you can add more sugar.
- Keep the sugar solution on a medium flame and let it come to a boil.
- Next heat a pan and then add 2 to 3 tablespoons ghee in the pan.
- Melt the ghee and then add 10 to 12 cashews. Saute till the cashews become light golden
- When cashews become light golden, then add ½ tablespoon raisins. Stir and saute till the raisins swell and puff up.
- Then remove both the cashews and raisins and keep aside in a plate.
roasting semiya
- Add ½ cup semiya to the pan.
- On a low heat roast the semiya for 2 to 3 minutes. Just roast the semiya. You don't need to brown them.
- Meanwhile when the water comes to a boil, add a pinch of saffron strands.
- Let the water come to a rolling boil.
- I also added natural orange food color extract. Skip food color and saffron if you do not have them and just add one to two pinches of turmeric powder in the water.
- Meanwhile the semiya has got roasted. You don’t need to brown semiya.
Making semiya kesari
- Now pour the hot water gently in the pan containing semiya. Be careful while adding water as there is a lot of spluttering.
- Simmer on a low to medium heat.
- Add ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder. Stir and mix well.
- On a low to medium heat cook the semiya. If you want you can cover the pan too with the lid.
- All the water has to be absorbed and the semiya should cook well.
- If the water is absorbed and the semiya is under cooked or half done, then add ¼ cup more hot water. Keep some hot water handy if required.
- Depending on the quality of semiya used, you can add less or more water. I used rice sevai. You can use whole wheat vermicelli too. The semiya should be cooked well and all the water should be absorbed.
- Then next add the sauteed cashews and raisins. Keep a few cashews and raisins for garnishing semiya kesari.
- Mix well. Serve semiya kesari hot or warm or at room temperature, garnished with the cashews and raisins.
Notes
- You can add dry fruits of your choice.
- You can use rice vermicelli or whole wheat vermicelli.
- You can alter the quantity of sugar in this recipe, as per your choice. If you want a sweeter kesari, add more sugar.
Nutrition
This Semiya Kesari from the blog archives first published in August 2016 has been updated and republished on December 2022.
is it mandatory to make sugar syrup….or I can simply use raw sugar?
Use of turmeric is little bit odd in sweet varieties.
you can also add sugar directly to the semiya after adding hot water. i have mentioned turmeric option as not everyone will have saffron and natural food color. so its always better to use a natural ingredient for coloring food instead of artificial chemical colors. a pinch or two of turmeric does not spoil the taste and gives a nice faint yellow color.
is it okay to use milk instead of water?
you can use milk or even half-half of both.