Kesari Recipe | Rava Kesari

Frying cashews and raisins

1. In a heavy kadai or a thick bottomed pan take 6 tablespoons ghee. Heat ghee on a medium-low flame till it melts completely. 
2. Add the cashews.
3. Begin to fry cashews stirring them often till they become golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep fried cashews aside.
4. Next add the raisins to the hot ghee.
5. Stirring non-stop fry the raisins till they become plump and swell.
6. Remove them and keep aside with the fried cashews. 

Roasting rava

1. Now reduce heat to a low and add the fine rava to the ghee. Mix well.
2. Begin to roast rava on a low to medium-low heat. 
3. Stir frequently while roasting rava for even cooking.
4. 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.
5. The color of the rava should not become brown.
6. Roasting rava takes about 9 to 11 minutes on low to medium-low heat. But do note that the timing will vary with the type and make of the kadai or pan and the heat intensity.

Making sugar syrup

1. When you begin to roast rava, at that time take the sugar in a saucepan. I added ¾ cup sugar.
2. Add 2 to 3 pinches of saffron strands. You can also add a natural yellow or orange color extract. I also added 2 drops of natural orange color extract.
3. Add 2.5 cups water. 
4. Keep the pan on stovetop and on a medium to medium-high flame begin to heat the sugar solution.
5. 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.
6. Bring this sugar solution to a rolling boil.

Making rava kesari

1. By the time the sugar solution starts boiling, the rava will also get roasted well.
2. Lower the heat and now carefully pour the sugar-saffron solution in the well roasted ghee-rava mixture in a steady stream and slowly.
3. Take care while pouring as the mixture splutters. 
4. Stir and mix very well. Break lumps, if any while mixing.
5. Cook rava kesari mixture on a low to medium-low heat stirring often.
6. The rava or sooji will absorb the water and swell and the mixture will begin to thicken.
7. When the mixture starts thickening, add the fried cashews and raisins reserving a few for garnish.
8. Also add the green cardamom powder. At this step you can also add a pinch of edible camphor if you want. Mix very well.
9. Stir till the mixture releases some ghee and the rava has absorbed all the water and cooked well. 
10. Then turn off the heat and cover the pan for 5 minutes just to allow the rava kesari to steam.
11. After five minutes, remove the lid. Stir rava kesari. If you want to make slices, then immediately pour it in a steel pan or tray. Spread evenly and when warm or cooled, cut into diamond shaped or square slices.
12. Serve rava kesari hot or warm. You can also serve it as a side sweet dish with a South Indian lunch or dinner.