Pineapple Stuffed Rice Dumpling | Pineapple Poorana Kolukattai

Happy Vinayaka Chathurthi to everyone…

Pineapple Stuffed  Rice Dumpling | Pineapple Poorana Kolukattai was in my to-do list for a long time. For this Vinayaka Chathurthi, I had planned to post many kolukattai recipes. But everything gets end up at the planning stage itself. Somehow today I’ve  pushed myself to prepare this pineapple kolukattai  to post before Ganesh Chathurthi which falls on 5^th September, 2016.

Coming to the recipe, we know  poorana kolukattai can be made of varieties of pooranam.  I like this one very much not only b’cos pineapple is my favourite fruit but the unique taste & flavour of pineapple make these dumplings, something distinctive & more delicious. In this recipe, I’ve used sugar instead of jaggery to retain the colour & flavour of pineapple.

You can check out other Kolukattai Recipes Here.

Recipe for Pineapple Stuffed  Rice Dumpling | Pineapple Poorana Kolukattai:

                          Cuisine : Indian

Category: Festival Recipe | Snack

Preparation time : 15 Minutes

Cooking time : 20 Minutes

                          yields –12-15 Nos 

Ingredients:

• Rice flour – 1 cup
• Gingelly oil – 1 tbsp
• Sugar – ½ cup
• Pineapple (chopped) – 1 cup
• Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
• Ghee – 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

For outer dough (மேல் மாவு):

1. Take a pan with 1 ½ cups of water with 1 tbsp of gingelly oil & little salt  and bring it to rolling boil.
2. Take a wide mouthed bowl, put the rice flour ,  add the boiling water slowly to the rice flour, stirring quickly with a whisk. Stop adding water when it reaches the correct consistency.
3. Allow it to cool. Then knead the dough by applying some oil on your palm and keep it covered in wet cloth. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

For Filling (பூரணம்):

1. In a pan, add ghee & sauté the finely chopped pineapple pieces till pineapple becomes tender.
2. Add sugar and stir till both pineapple & sugar some together  like a ball.
3. Add cardamom powder and mix well & switch off.

For making Kozhukattai:

1. Make small balls out of rice flour dough and pineapple stuffing.
2. Take a rice flour dough ball and by applying oil on hand ,flatten it to form like a small bowl (சொப்பு/கிண்ணம்). Keep the stuffing inside and cover this stuffing with the rice dough by gently stretching the edges of the dough so that the filling should get covered completely. Repeat the process for rest of the dough also.
3. If you find making kozhukattai in this shape difficult, you can make it in semi circular form. Flatten the rice dough on a plastic sheet/ banana leaf greased with oil , place the  stuffing at the centre, then fold the plastic sheet/banana leaf so that the kozhukattai gets folded at the centre. Seal the edges properly to ensure the stuffing does not come out.

Steam the kozhukattais for about 15 minutes and give a standing time for about 5 minutes. Delicious Pineapple Poorana Kozhukattais are ready for Pooja!!

Note:

• Be very careful while adding water to the flour because water quantity will vary depending on the quality of rice used for making flour.
• Rice flour dough should be kneaded well by applying oil so that it should be soft and pliable. Otherwise the outer layer will get cracked or sometimes, becomes hard.
• You can use jaggery instead of sugar but both colour & flavour will get changed.
• Increase or decrease sugar depending on the tartness of pineapple.
• Pineapple essence &  yellow  food colour  can be used which are purely optional. If you add essence, then cardamom powder can be skipped..

Tags: Vinayaka Chathurthi recipes, Pillayar sathurthi festival recipes, Kolukattai recipes, How to prepare stuffed dumplings? How to use Pineapple as stuffing in kozhukattai?, Fruit poorana kolukattai recipe, Fruit stuffed rice dumplings, Annaasi pasha kolukattai recipe, Pillayar chathurthi kolukattai recipes

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Pillayarpatti Modhakam | Karaikudi Mothagam| Vinayaka Chathurthi Recipes

Pillayarpatti Modhakam | Mothagam is a steamed sweet rice dumpling prepared as Prasadam in Vinayakar temples, especially in Pillayarpatti. Pillayarpatti is famous for the rock cut temple and Karpaga Vinayakar is the main deity there. 

In Karaikudi, we call these sweetened  balls as modhakam but most of the people refer Poorana Kolukattai aka Stuffed sweet dumplings as modhakam. Whatever it may be, Pillayar likes all varieties of kolukattais; so we can prepare both plain & stuffed kolukattais for forth coming Vinayaka Chathurthi festival.

I’ve already posted the recipe for Thengai Poorana Kozhukattai, Spicy Pidi Kolukattai & Karupatti pidi kozhukattai & White Channa Sundal as Ganesh Chathurthi Special recipes.You can check out the recipes Here.

Here we go for the Pillayarpatti Modhakam recipe!

Recipe for Pillayarpatti Modhakam | Karaikudi Mothagam| Vinayaka Chathurthi Recipes:

                          Cuisine : Indian| South Indian

Category: Prasadham|Snack

Preparation time : 1 Hour

Cooking time : 25 Minutes

Serves  – 4

Ingredients:

Raw rice – 1 cup

Moong dhal – ¼ cup

Jaggery (crushed) – ¾  cup

Coconut gratings – ¼ cup

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Water – 2 ½ + ½  cups

Method:

1. Wash raw rice in water and spread on a cotton cloth till the moisture in the rice leaves out completely.
2. Grind the raw rice into coarse rava & keep aside.
3. Dry fry moong dhal in simmer till you get nice aroma & allow to cool.
4. Grind moong dhal also into coarse rava & keep aside.
5. Melt the powdered jaggery in ½  cup of water and strain the impurities, if any.
6. Add 2 ½   cups of water in a heavy bottomed kadai & bring it to boil.
7. Bring the flame to simmer and add both  rava by stirring continuously without forming any lumps.
8. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes by stirring now & then.
9. When the rava is done, add the melted jaggery and mix everything well.
10. When the dough rolls into thick mass, add ghee, coconut gratings & cardamom powder. Mix everything well.
11. Switch off & allow to cool.
12. Grease your hands with ghee, make lemon sized balls and steam for 10 minutes.

Tasty Modhakam is ready for offering to Lord Ganesh!

Note:

• Rice should be ground to rava consistency.
• Water quantity may vary depending on the quality of rice.
• Store bought rice rava can also be used.
• Don’t steam modhakam for more time as it will harden the balls.

Tags: Modhakam recipe, Pilayarpatti Modhak recipe, Vinayaka chathurthi recipes, Ganesh Chathurthi recipes, Easy kozhukattai recipes, Pillayarpatti Prasadham recipes, Sweet kolukattai recipe, How to make modhakam with rice rava?, How to make Pillayarpatti mothakam?, Easy modhakam recipe

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Sweet Aval Puttu| Sweetened Poha

Sweet Aval Puttu| Sweetened Poha is a healthy, tasty sweet dish made using rice flakes as main ingredient. It is usually prepared as Neivedyam during Hindu festivals like Krishna Jayanthi, Navaratri, Aadi Velli, etc. The recipe is a simple one with minimum ingredients and even a newbie can make this as it doesn’t warrant much effort. 

I’m posting this recipe today as “Sri Krishna Jayanthi|Janmashtami” is going to be celebrated on 5^th Sep, 2015. This festival is observed in remembrance of Lord Krishna’s birth. Krishna is fond of aval, butter and other snack items like murukku, seedai, etc. So it is mandatory to prepare the favourites for a birthday baby on this occasion.  I think we, Indian women love to celebrate this festival as we all see mischievous Lord Kanna in our children. Those who don’t have time to make all the traditional sweets|snacks can easily go for this recipe as it needs minimum time for preparation.

“Happy Gokulashtami to one & all”

Recipe for Sweet Aval Puttu| Sweetened Poha| Krishna Jayanthi Recipes:

Cuisine : Indian| South Indian

Category: Sweet|Prasad

Preparation time : 10 Minutes

Cooking time : 10 Minutes

Serves  – 4

Ingredients:

• Thick aval (poha) – 1 cup
• Milk – ½ cup
• Jaggery (powdered) – ¾ cup
• Coconut gratings – ½ cup
• Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp
• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Cashews – few

Method:

1. Dry fry aval in a heavy bottomed kadai and powder coarsely in a mixie.
2. Transfer the powdered aval to a bowl, add milk and mix well. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. In the mean time, melt jaggery with ¼ cup of water and strain the impurities.
4. Heat the strained jaggery syrup so that it forms “Honey” consistency.
5. Add coconut gratings to the jaggery syrup and mix well.
6. After a minute, add the soaked poha & cardamom powder and mix everything well.
7. Switch off , when the mixture forms a puttu consistency.
8. Garnish puttu with ghee fried cashewnuts.

Krishna’s favourite aval puttu is ready for Neivedyam. 

Note:

• The given measure of milk works out for thick poha. If you are using thin variety, just sprinkle little milk over the poha powder.
• You can increase the quantity of jaggery to 1 cup

Tags: Sri Krishna Jayanthi Recipes, Janmashtami Recipes, Festival Recipes, Poha Recipes, How to prepare puttu with aval?, Sweetened aval puttu recipe, How to prepare puttu with thick  aval?, How to prepare puttu with thin poha?, Easy pooja recipes

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Sakkaraivalli kizhangu poli | Sweet potato poli | Shakarkandi sweet paratha

Sakkaraivalli kizhangu poli | Sweet potato poli | Shakarkandi sweet paratha is a healthy, sweet flat bread prepared with sweet potato stuffing.  Sweet potato is my favourite and we eat the boiled potatoes for morning breakfast once in a week during season time. Eating sweet potatoes without any add-ons this way, is better as it is a high calorie veggie. Last time, I bought some extra quantity of these sweet potatoes as they seem to be fresh with a nice pink coloured skin, having this poli in mind. I was really happy that the poli idea worked out very well as they came out super soft, all because of this sweet potato pooranam and no one could find out it was made of sweet potato. Finally I got one more addition to my sweet potato recipes to share with you...

Coming to the recipe,  as I had already posted Coconut Poli | Thengaboli with wheat flour earlier, I’ve used APF | maida for preparing sakkaraivalli kizhangu poli. 

How to prepare Sakkaraivalli kizhangu poli | Sweet potato poli | Shakarkandi sweet paratha...

Cuisine : Indian

Preparation Time: 40 Mins (including standing time, pressure cooking, etc)

Cooking Time: 20-30 Mins

Yields 8-10 Nos.(Medium size)

Serves – 4

Ingredients:

For the outer cover:

• Maida | All purpose flour – 2 cups
• Salt – a pinch
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Water - as needed
• Oil – 1 tbsp

For pooranam:

• Sweet potatoes (Medium)  - 2 Nos
• Coconut gratings – ½ cup (optional)
• Jaggery (crushed) –   ½ cup
• Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
• Ghee – 1 tsp + 1 tbsp
• Maida | All purpose flour – as needed for dusting 

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add maida, turmeric powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Add water little by little and make a soft, pliable dough. Then add oil, mix well and  allow to stand for 30 minutes. Keep the dough covered.
2. In the mean time, wash sweet potatoes in water and pressure cook them with enough water until soft. I left for 3 whistles.
3. Once the pressure subsides, open the pressure cooker and drain the sweet potatoes. Once cooled, remove the skin and mash them without any lumps. Keep aside.
4. Also,  melt  the powdered jaggery in ¼  cup of water and strain the impurities.  Keep aside.
5. In a heavy bottomed kadai, add a tsp of ghee and sauté the coconut gratings for 2 minutes. To this, add the mashed sweet potatoea and mix everything well. Add jaggery syrup & cardamom powder and sauté till everything forms together like a mass. Allow it to cool. Make small lemon sized balls out of this filling.
6. Also make balls out of the dough. Take a dough ball and by applying oil on  hand, flatten it to form like a small bowl (சொப்பு/கிண்ணம்). Keep the sweet potato stuffing inside and cover this stuffing  by gently stretching the edges of the dough so that the filling should get covered completely. Repeat the process for rest of the dough.
7. Roll the above stuffed balls into thin, round discs using roller pin, dusting the ball with maida/ all purpose flour.
8. Place the tawa/skillet on a stove. Let it get heated.
9. Place the rolled boli on the heated tawa, wait for bubbles to come on the surface. Flip it immediately and leave it for a minute.
10. Cook on both sides on high flame, flipping it now and then, by applying ghee on both sides and till it gets cooked completely.

Super soft, tasty Sweet potato poli  is ready to eat!

Note:

•  Coconut gratings are optional.
• Quantity of jaggery depends on the sweetness of sweet potato as well as your taste preference. So adjust accordingly.
• You can use sugar | palm jaggery in place of jaggery. Follow the same procedure, if using palm jaggery. If using sugar, mix with mashed sweet potato and sauté till it forms a ball.
• You can add use wheat flour instead of maida, to make it healthier.

Tags: Boli recipes, Healthy boli recipes, How to make boli using sweet potato? Sweet potato poli recipe, How to make poli using palm jaggery?, Sakarkanthi Obbuttu recipe, festival recipes, Sweet potato stuffed poli recipe, sakkaraivalli poli recipe, sarkarai valli kizhangu poli recipe, how to use sarkarai valli kizhangu for making poli? 

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Karadaiyan Nombu Uppu Adai | Karadayan Nombu Uppu Karadai | Nonbu Karadai (Salt)

Karadaiyan nombu uppu adai  | Karadayan nombu  uppu karadai | Nonbu Karadai (Salt) is prepared by steaming the seasoned rice flour dough with karamani | black eyed bean. The steps followed in the recipe for making uppu karadai is more or less similar to that of Karadayan Nombu Sweet Adai except for adding jaggery to the latter one. Though this uppu adai is not meant for pooja, it is usually done along with sweet karadai, may be for balancing the taste of sweet karadai with that of savoury & salt one. Also the base flour & cooking procedure are more or less the same for both the versions.

I’m baffled with how our ancestors meticulously planned their meal. Even snacks and add-ons for poojas were prepared with a thought on nutritional values. These karadais, both sweet & salt version, are a balanced combination of carbs, protein, iron, vitamins, minerals with enough fibre making it a guilt free snack and so anyone can try.

To know more about Karadayan Nombu & Recipe for Nombu Sweet karadai Clickhere.

As I promised yesterday, here is the recipe for Uppu Karadai…

Ingredients:

• Rice flour – 1 cup
• Karamani | Black eyed bean – 2 tbsp
• Grated coconut –  ½  cup
• Water – 2 cups
• Salt to taste

For seasoning:

• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Mustard – 1 tsp
• Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2 Nos.
• Curry leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp
• Ginger (grated) – 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida – a pinch

Method:

1. Prepare rice flour following Method 2 of “How to prepare Kolukattai Flour?”. Or if you are using store bought flour, dry fry the flour for few minutes in simmer without changing its colour and keep aside.
2. Dry fry karamani in simmer for 2-3 minutes until you get nice aroma of the bean. Wash well and pressure cook these beans with enough water for 3 whistles. Allow it to cool.
3. In a heavy bottomed kadai, heat oil, season with the items given “For seasoning”.
4. To this add the cooked karamani and sauté for 2 minutes.
5. To this add, coconut and give a stir.
6. To this add 2 cups of water & required salt and bring it to boil.
7. To this boiling water, add the rice flour slowly but stirring quickly with a whisk so that no lumps are formed. Continue stirring by mashing the lumps until it becomes a mass.
8. Once it forms a whole lump, switch off, transfer it to a plate & allow it to cool.
9. Once cooled, apply some oil on your hands and knead the dough a little to make it smooth.
10. Grease your hands with oil, make small balls out of rice flour dough and flatten them with your palm and make a small hole with your finger in the centre. Repeat the process for rest of the dough also.
11. Steam the karadais in steamer | idli pot for about 15 minutes and give a standing time for about 5 minutes.

Healthy & tasty Uppu Nombu Karadai is ready! Enjoy this uppu adai with inippukaradai & butter!!

Happy Karadayan Nombu to all...

Note:

• While using store bought flour, go in for idiyappam flour since this will consume the above quantity of water and make soft karadais.
• The dough should be kneaded well by applying oil so that it should be soft and pliable. Otherwise the adai will get cracked.
• Never allow the dough to become dry.
• Finely chopped coconut pieces can also be used in the recipe. I’ve added coconut gratings since I had them in hand.

Tags: Karadaiyan Nombu recipes, Karadaiyan Nonbu recipes, Uppu karadai recipe, Savoury karadai recipe, Savithri vitatham recipes, Story behind karadaiyan nombu, Significance of karadaiyan nombu, Easy karadai recipe, Karadai recipe using store bought flour, Karadai recipe using idiyappam flour, Karadai recipe using home made flour, karadayan nonbu recipes, How to prepare rice flour for making nombu adai?, Nombu adai using karamani, nombu adai using black eyed beans, Steamed dumpling with black eyed bean. 

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Karadaiyan nombu adai | Karadayan nombu vella adai | Inippu karadai

Karadaiyan nombu adai | Karadayan nombu vella adai | Inippu karadai is a steamed dumpling prepared with rice flour, jaggery and karamani | black eyed bean. This is a must to do dish on Karadaiyan Nombu. This dish has an interesting story which should be mentioned here.

Karadiayan Nombu | Savitri Nonbu | Savithri Viratham is observed in remembrance of a legendary couple Sathyavan-Savitri. Savitri who brought back the life of her husband, Sathyavan from the hands of Yama, the God of Death through her love, devotion, courage & intelligence. Hence this nonbu is observed by the married women for the well being and longevity of their husbands. Also the unmarried girls observe this fast to get the best life partners. The name, Karadaiyan nombu is derived from the name of the dish, “Karadai” which Savitri offered along with unmelted butter as prasad to Yama as thanksgiving in return of her husband’s life. She prepared karadai using wild rice (kara arisi) along with karamani & jaggery. Hence it is a practice to do these kara adai with jaggery| sweet karadai on Karadyan Nombu.

It is believed that the above incident happened on the cusp of Tamil months of Masi and Panguni and this time it falls on 14^th March, 2015. On the day of nombu, all women in the family prepare these adais (both sweet & salt version), perform pooja, tie a yellow rope (charadu) around their necks and complete their fast by eating this sweet adai along with unmelted butter chanting the following.

“Urugaatha vennaiyum, oru adaiyum naan nootren

Orukkaalum  en kanavar piriyaamal irukkanume”

“உருக்காத வெண்ணெயும் ஒரு அடையும் நான் நோற்றேன்;

ஒருக்காலும் என் கணவர் பிரியாமல் இருக்கணுமே”

It means “I’ve observed this fast by offering unmelted butter and a karadai; my husband should never be separated from me at any cost”.

The uppu karadai is also prepared on this day but generally not offered for pooja. Anyway I’ll post the recipe for uppu karadai tomorrow.

In North India also, similar vrat is being followed by married women in the name of “Karva Chauth”  and they fast for the entire day i.e from sun rise to moon rise. Where ever we are, the rituals are same and are being followed all over the world in different names.

Karadaiyan Nombu is generally observed by the families who follow this tradition for years. Since I grew up in the Brahmin neighbourhood, I know all of their rituals, customs & recipes. After I moved from my hometown I never had the opportunity of tasting these yummy karadais. Now, my blog gives me the opportunity to recall things which I’ve forgotten for years.

Here is the recipe for Inippu Karadai…

Ingredients:

• Rice flour – 1 cup
• Karamani | Black eyed bean – 2 tbsp
• Jaggery – ¾ cup
• Grated coconut –  ½  cup
• Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
• Ghee – 1 tbsp
• Water – 1 ½ + ½ cup

Method:

1. Prepare rice flour following Method 2 of “How to prepare Kolukattai Flour?”. Or if you are using store bought flour, dry fry the flour for few minutes in simmer without changing its colour and keep aside.
2. Dry fry karamani in simmer for 2-3 minutes until you get nice aroma of the bean. Wash well and pressure cook these beans with enough water for 3 whistles. Allow it to cool.
3. Powder jaggery and melt in ½ cup of water by heating. Once it dissolves completely, switch off and filter the impurities. Keep the jaggery syrup aside.
4. In a heavy bottomed kadai, heat ghee, add the cooked karamani and saute for 2 minutes.
5. To this add, coconut and give a stir.
6. To this add 1 ½ cups of water and allow it to boil.
7. To this boiling water, add the rice flour slowly but stirring quickly with a whisk so that no lumps are formed. Continue stirring by mashing the lumps until it becomes a mass.
8. Once it forms a whole lump, add jaggery syrup & cardamom powder. Again stir by mashing it until everything blends together. Transfer it to a plate & allow it to cool.
9. Once cooled, apply some ghee on your hands and knead the dough a little to make it smooth.
10. Grease your hands with ghee | oil, make small balls out of rice flour dough and flatten them with your palm and make a small hole with your finger in the centre. Repeat the process for rest of the dough also.
11. Steam the karadais  in steamer | idli pot for about 15 minutes and give a standing time for about 5 minutes.

Yummy Sweet Nombu Karadai is ready for Pooja!! Serve it with a dollop of butter & enjoy!!!

Note:

• While using store bought flour, go in for idiyappam flour since this will consume the above quantity of water.
• The dough should be kneaded well by applying ghee|oil so that it should be soft and pliable. Otherwise the adai will get cracked.
• Never allow the dough to become dry.
• Finely chopped coconut pieces can also be used in the recipe. I’ve added coconut gratings since I had them in hand.

Tags: Karadaiyan Nombu recipes, Karadaiyan Nonbu recipes, Inippu karadai recipe, Vella karadai recipe, Savithri vitatham recipes, Story behind karadaiyan nombu, Significance of karadaiyan nombu, Easy karadai recipe, Karadai recipe using store bought flour, Karadai recipe using idiyappam flour, Karadai recipe using home made flour, karadayan nonbu recipes, How to prepare rice flour for making nombu adai?, Nombu adai using karamani, nombu adai using black eyed beans, Steamed dumpling with black eyed bean. 

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Semiya Payasam | Vermicelli Payasam | Semiya Kheer

Semiya Payasam | Vermicelli Payasam | Semiya Kheer  is a very simple yet delicious Indian dessert which can be made in no time with just a few ingredients. It finds a place in almost all marriages, functions, poojas & festivals in Tamil Nadu since it goes well with our South Indian meals. In marriges, payasam is made with  vermicelli and  sago | javvarisi.

Today being my wedding anniversary, I had very little time but felt that I had to prepare a simple sweet at home. In a stroke of inspiration, I decided to make this payasam and here it is!

Ingredients:

• Semiya |Vermicelli – ½ cup
• Milk – 4 cups
• Sugar – ½ cup
• Nuts of your choice (I have used cashew nuts,pista & almonds)
• Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
• Coconut milk – ½ cup (optional)
• Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. In a heavy bottomed kadai,  add ghee and fry nuts till golden brown. Drain them and keep aside.
2. In the same kadai, add vermicelli and fry in simmer till it becomes golden brown and remove.
3. Boil milk in a sauce pan till it becomes ¾ th in measurement.
4. Then add vermicelli and cook till it gets cooked well.
5. Then add sugar and blend everything well and keep in fire for about 3 minutes.
6. Finally add cardamom powder, coconut milk and fried nuts.  Stir well and remove from fire.

Your delicious Semiya Kheer is ready to serve! You can have it either cold or hot as per your choice. I love to have in both ways... when having hot, i enjoy with appalam and for cold? As such it is yummy..summer special!

Note:

• The payasam will become thick as time goes by or when it is cold. So better to switch off when it is slightly watery. Otherwise, you can have a stock of hot milk which could be added while serving by adding sugar proportionately.
• Sugar quantity can be changed as per your taste.

Tags:Semiya payasam recipe, Semiya kheer , Indian dessert with vermicelli, Easy payasam recipes, Vermicelli payasam recipe, Vermicelli kheer recipe, South Indian payasam, How to prepare payasam with semiya?, Indian kheer varieties, How to prepare easy payasam?

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Rava Kesari | Semolina Pudding | Cream of Wheat Indian Dessert

Rava Kesari  | Semolina Pudding | Sooji Kesari  | Kesari Bath  is an Indian desert made with semolina, sugar, little ghee and few  nuts. It is very easy to prepare and I suggest this recipe as a ‘must to learn’ for those new to the kitchen. It is a handy recipe that you can utilize in many difficult situations like when a guest shows up unexpectedly, when we are left with little time to prepare a dessert, when we desperately want to satisfy our sweet tooth or  sometimes for Neivedyam too.  I am sure that we can make everyone happy  with this simple dessert if it is done to perfection.

Ingredients:

• Rava  (Semolina) – 1 cup
• Sugar – ¾  cup
• Water – 3 cups
• Ghee – 2 to 3 tbsp
• Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts, raisins – few
• Kesari colour – a pinch.

Method:

1. Dry roast rava in simmer until you get a nice aroma. Keep it aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed kadai, pour a tbsp of ghee, and fry the cashew nuts and raisins until they turn golden brown. Drain them from the ghee and keep it aside.
3. In the same kadai, add water and bring it to rolling boil.
4. Now add rava little by little while continuously stirring water. Don’t let the rava lump. This is to be done in high flame. Allow the rava to get cooked completely.
5. Then add sugar and kesari colour (Red), and mix everything. By this time when the sugar gets melted in the heat, the mixture should be watery. When the mixture becomes thick, simmer the fire, add cardamom powder and ghee and stir it continuously.
6. When the mixture leaves the sides of the kadai, switch off the stove. Add the fried cashew nuts and raisins, mix everything well and transfer the contents to a serving bowl.

Your yummy, hot rava kesari is ready to be enjoyed. I love the taste when it is hot!

Note:

• The given water measurement will give you a soft, mushy  kesari  when it is hot. You can reduce water to 2 ½ cups as well.
• Sugar can be increased to 1 cup if you want it sweeter.
• Red colour is optional. If you want to serve only to your family and they are not concerned with the colour rather than taste, then you could avoid this.

Tags: Rava kesari recipe, semolina pudding, sooji kesari  recipe, Easy sweet recipe, how to prepare soft rava kesari, restaurant style kesari recipe, Cream of wheat dessert, Cream of wheat pudding, 

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