Saturday, September 18, 2010

Rava Kesari / Kesari Bhath


Rava Kesari is a South Indian sweet. Rava means sooji or semolina and kesari means saffron. It is also called as Kesari Bhath in some places. Serve it at breakfast or as evening tiffin. It is a perfect dessert for any occasion.

In South India, the Kesari Bhath is spiced with cloves and in North India the Sooji Halwa is spiced with Green Cardamoms. I make Kesari Bhath blending both the flavors.

Ingredients

Method

  • Heat ghee in a large heavy pan, add cloves and fry till little darker.
  • Now add sooji. Stir and roast on low for 7-8 minutes or till aroma exudes and it is pink.
  • Add sugar and warm water to the sooji, little at a time stirring continuously. Take care to protect hands from the spluttering.
  • Cover and simmer till ghee separates. Check sooji grain between fingers and taste for sweetness.
  • Adjust sweetness, and add more warm water if grain is hard.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Save a small amount of cashews and raisins for garnishing.
  • Grease a katori or steel cup with ghee. Keep few cashews and raisins at the base of the katori. Press hot bhath inside it, and unmold onto a plate.
  • Serve hot.

Do You Know?

Chow Chow Bhath is a famous breakfast in Bangalore. It is basically a combination of sweet and savory, served at the same time, on the same plate. One is Halwa or Kesari Bhath and the other is Upama or Khara Bhath. So in a plate you get one scoop of Kesari bhath (Sheera) and one scoop of Upma, both are made of semolina/sooji.

In Bangalore, Kesari Bhath is made of rava but in Mangalore, it is made of rice.


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