Friday, April 17, 2009

Rava Kesari

Yellow color rava kesari is my favorite.

Rava kesari is the classic Indian dessert appreciated along with breakfast.
Moreover we can classify the 'Rava kesari' as the trade mark of TamilNadu's weddings and auspicious occasions. (I am not sure , if it is a must in other parts of India / if it is called by other name...). We can tell it as a dessert served along with breakfast or with fried items like bajji, sojji, vadai and filter coffee in the evening. .
The very sight of the server coming with a big vessel filled with 'ghee flavored' Rava kesari would make many lips to bloom.
Then only all will turn their attention towards the fluffy Idlies, the ghee smeared Venn Pongal and Uthappam served with piping hot sambar and chutney , on the tender banana leaf.
Traditionally it is made in saffron color by adding the food color.
But many make it in yellow color also.
It is the tradition to serve the sweet before all the items. (But the guests would be waiting to get the meal served completely before tasting).
Guests should be encouraged a lot to go for more and more servings while not asking so points out the lack of care for the guests, as the Indian tradition emphasizes treating the guest like God , irrespective of anything.

There is a poem / kural in Tamil from the famous Thirukkural written by Thiru Valluvar (virudhombal 10)
"Moppak kuzhiyum anichham;mugamthirindhu
Nokkak kuzhaiyum virundhu"

This kural (poem) compares the delicate nature of the guests with the rare and tender flower called 'anicham' which will wilt even when we smell it.
How nice . right. So it is the Indian culture to serve the guests even before they ask for more:)

Anyway the lingering taste of kesari will bring back the memories of so many unforgettable weddings and occasions to us.
Have a sweet weekend!

Special Note:

I got this recipe from a small scale but successful caterer in Tirunelveli,TN, India. If you want to make a fool proof one , just read the highlighted lines carefully. This recipe has helped me a lot while making bulk quantities, as it will not demand any muscle work like the home made version:)
Using bright orange food color in kesari is more traditional.

Rava kesari to celebrate Baby Jesus' Birthday, the Christmas, 2011

Ingredients:
Ravai / rava / semolina / sooji - 1/2 cup
water - 1.5  cups (thrice that of rava)
sugar - 1 cup (twice that of rava)
cashewnuts - 10
raisins - 15
ghee - 2 tsp
orange / yellow food color - 1/8 tsp
Cardamom - 4
(Powder the cardamom and discard the skin. (I put the skin in to the tea).)

Method:
Heat a thick wok / pan , which has a proper tight lid.
Then heat a tsp of ghee and fry the broken cashews , raisins one by one and keep aside.
Take out.

In the same pan add 1 more tsp ghee. 
Add ravai.
Dry roast the rava till a very few (not every particle)turns a mild red with a nice aroma.
Transfer it to a dry plate.

Add 3 cups of water in the same pan and let it come to a boil.
Add sugar.
Then add the food color and mix well.
As the water starts bubbling , reduce the flame (almost near switch off point).

Now add the rava in a wide spread manner . Do not put as lump in one place . 
Add it slowly without stirring and cover it tightly with a lid.
Add the fried cashews and raisins and cardamom powder.

Cook Covered in LOW HEAT.
Allow the rava to be cooked in that low heat .
Do not stir the kesari now, as it may create lumps.

After 5 minutes open and check if all the water has been absorbed by the rava.
 
Mix gently.
Perfect Rava kesari is ready !
 Rava kesari starts leaving the sides of the wok.  The end product should not be dry but somewhat sticky.
Rava kesari is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve as dessert along with breakfast or evening tea and spicy snacks.

Serves 6 people.

34 comments:

Cham said...

The water ratio i do the same but sugar thrice less for us ! Good one!

FH said...

We call it Kesari Bhath in Kannada, in restaurants, they serve it with Upma on the side ,combo is called Chow Chow Bhath! :)

I make the same way, add milk instead of water, Looks mouthwatering.

Suparna said...

Hi Viki,
Rava kesari looks yummm vikki...I love it with puris...will come back to read the lovely write up again....nice click.
Thanks for the wishes in my blog post dear.Keep visiting.
Happy weekend!
TC

Gita Jaishankar said...

Kesari looks yummy dear! I used make kesari for almost every festivals, my favorite :)

ARUNA said...

Yumm Rava Kesari Vicky.....is it a Rava festival by any chance, yesterday Priya Sriram also made a gorgeous Rava Kesari!

Shama Nagarajan said...

its yummy and delicious...........

Ramya Vijaykumar said...

Viki you wont believe me I was craving for Kesari for some reason wanted to make it but I ran out of Rava... Slurrp its so tempting now...

Lavanya said...

wow..looks yummy vicki..you know i am very poor @ making these king of sweet dishes..i will try this too..just check muy luck :)

Priya Sriram said...

That looks sooo delicious Viki... Kural ellam quote panni irukkeenga?! Good job dear!

Btw, I have shared an award with you in my blog.. please accept it! :)

Poornima Nair said...

Thats mouthwatering Vicky...one of the easiest and yummiest desserts...

Unknown said...

I can have it anytime.. Lovely color..

Manju said...

i can soo imagine the scene at a breakfast table for a wedding or similar functions!! i soo miss it. the last i had something like that was for my wedding and i dont remember enjoying the food that much!! :D:D

Have a great weekend dear!

Nandinis food said...

Kesari looks yummy! Nice pics! Happy weekend!

Priya Suresh said...

Send me some Viki..just drooling!

Vrinda said...

Yummy Kesari..i was looking for the perfect water ratio..thank u Vikki.

sathya said...

Rava kesari looks yum viki...One of my favourite sweet.

Varsha Vipins said...

I have tasted this only once ..looks great..:)

Raaga said...

I have never made this. Only eaten! Should try.

We make sheera slightly... cooked in milk as Ashakka says :)

Chitra said...

Looks mouthwatering dear, i add 1.5 sugar.Have bookmarked .clear explanation;)

Jaishree Iyer said...

Kesari looks mouth watering..same pinch yesterday I prepared kesari for some guest..All time fav:)

Raks said...

Thanks for sharing the methhod viki,I will definitely try like this! Looks yummy!

Chutneytales said...

whenever I come across rava kesari..i remember b'days..In tamil nadu,most of the people have it as a tradition to make this kesari for b'days..
Nice write up for rava kesari..I liked the way you quoted the tamil kural..Nice post dear :)

Chutneytales said...

Thanks for the comment ,Viki..The leaf below the sherbet glass is Citron(Narthangai) tree leaf!!

Ann said...

Viki,
I have been thinking of making kesari for long time may be without the food color. Your looks so yumm!!

Madhu's cooking gallery said...

I do it the same way too!! I always remember it in the ratio 1:2:3 rava, sugar, water... good one!! looks yummy!

Shama Nagarajan said...

hai dear..have a gift for u in my blog...please do collect it

vidhas said...

I love kesari, looks yummy. Both my mom and mil makes this vrey nice.

UjjU said...

Hello Viki,

First time here. We call Rava Kesari as Kesari bath or sajige in kannada. It looks so yummy. I make it more or less the same way, but add milk instead of water.

Malar Gandhi said...

Kesari-inna Paari'ikku romba ishtam...reminds the way mommy fix this for evenning high tea time...nostalgic memories...last time, I made it for him.

I guess lot of people call this kesari in India...name came thro' 'kesar' means saffron in Hindi!:)

lissie said...

I love rava kesari! it looks perfect...mmm yummy!!!

Remya said...

The recipee is nice. But the sugar level is too high. Kesari is too sweet..

Unknown said...

Tried it out yesterday and it turned out to be awesome without any lumps.

Unknown said...

hai
good one. i made rava kesari at yesterday. yammy taste. thanks for u r tips.

Vikis Kitchen said...

Thank you friends.
Thanks Remya , Ramya and Anonymous.
Remya: I think my taste buds crave for more sugar:) you please adjust it for yours. Thanks for trying and comment:)
Ramya: I am glad that kesari came out great. Thanks for the nice comment dear.

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