Rava Kesari

Rava Kesari is a south Indian sweet dish.Rava means Semolina and Kesari means saffron, It is a pudding made with semolina, sugar, Clarified butter.It is made during the festival and Special puja.Mostly yellow food color is used but I have used Saffron to get color & nice aroma.

On eve of Vasant Panchmi, prepared this sweet dish at my native place we do Puja of Goddess Saraswati There is a tradition of eating different varieties of sweets are offered to Goddess which includes yellow colored sweet as well.

Rava Kesari is like a Sooji Halwa which is prepared using roasted Rava(sooji) till it brown in color and cooked in water and Rava Kesari is lightly roasted to prevent browning & cooked.

Ingredients

Semolina 1 cup

Saffron 20-30 strands

Water 1.5 cup

Clarified Butter(Ghee) 1/4 cup +1 tbsp

Assorted Nuts 1 tbsp

Sugar 1/2 cup or to taste

Green cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon(optional)

Method

Heat a pan add 1 tbsp clarified butter( ghee )and fry the nuts. Set them aside.In the same pan, add Rava and sautéed it continuously stirring often and roast on low flame for 5 minutes or till it turns aromatic and Remove on a plate and keep aside.

To the same pan, add sugar, water, and saffron bring to boil on a medium heat keep stirring so that sugar dissolves properly.Reduce the flame to low. Slowly add the Sauteed Rava to sugar syrup mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps, Cook until the moisture is absorbed.Add 1/4 cup ghee and mix well.it will start leaving the sides of the pan. Add green cardamom powder & Switch off the flame
Serve Rava  Kesari hot or warm. Garnish with nuts.