The key to a delicious Kesari is to slow roast semolina in ghee aka clarified butter till light pink without burning it. And when infused with a warming aromatic spice like cardamom the flavor of Rava Kesari is alleviated by leaps and bounds. Delightful when adorned with roasted cashews and raisins. 1 Heat a heavy-bottomed vessel, add 2 tbsps of melted ghee, add cashew nuts and raisins and toast them till golden brown. Remove them and keep aside. 2 In the same ghee, add sooji/semolina and fry till light pink approx for 6 mts. You have to constantly stir it or else it will burn. Turn off heat, add sugar and mix. 3 Add water and cook on slow flame stirring constantly. It will come together like a thick pudding. It will take approx 8-10 mts to cook on slow flame. 4 Add saffron and half of the roasted nuts and raisins and mix. Cook on low flame for another mt. Add 2 tbsps of warm ghee and mix. Turn off flame, remove onto a serving bowl. 5 Garnish with the remaining nuts and raisins and serve warm. Prep & Cooking: 20-22 mts Serves: 7-8 persons Cuisine: Indian . 1 1/2 cups sugar (adjust to suit your taste) 2 1/2 cups water 5-6 saffron strands, soaked in a tbsp of milk 4 tbsps melted ghee/clarified butter/neyyi 12-15 cashew nuts/kaju/jeedi pappu 15-20 raisins/khis mish 3/4 tsp cardamom powder P.S With power cuts abound in Andhra Pradesh and erratic internet connection, I could not blog yesterday’s offering to Goddess Durga. For a rich flavor, add 1/2 cup milk and 2 cups water. Saffron can be substituted with Kesar color by adding a pinch of it to a tbsp of water.
