Want an easy recipe for Rava kesari? This South Indian dessert is made from scratch with just 7 ingredients, in 30 minutes. It has the perfect melt in mouth consistency that will keep you coming back for more.
What is Rava Kesari?
Rava Kesari, also known as Kesari Bath or Chow Chow Bath in Karnataka, is a popular South Indian sweet made primarily from roasted rava (semolina), sugar, water, ghee, cardamom, and nuts. It's a simple yet delightful sweet dish that is quick to prepare, typically taking less than 30 minutes from scratch.
Serve on special occasions or festivals like Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi or Diwali.
About this Kesari bath recipe
I have made this authentic Kesari recipe a 100 times atleast and my friends and family simply love it. Over the past few years, I've refined this Indian dessert by experimenting with different ratios of sugar and ghee, and I've finally perfected it. The best thing is that, this kesari recipe is freezer friendly.
Keep in mind, reducing the amount of sugar or ghee too much can result in a lack of texture, consistency, and flavor, turning it into a mere lump of Indian sweet. Not like the melt in mouth ones found at the South Indian rest.
Making Rava Kesari at home is remarkably simple, taking under 30 minutes from start to finish.
Rava Kesari ratio
With just six ingredients, including nuts, and a straightforward ratio of ½ cup ghee to 1 cup semolina to 2 cups sugar to 3 cups water, you're all set. You can use any size of cup for measurement. Plus, this kesari bath stores well for up to a week in the refrigerator.
This semolina based Indian sweet is extremely popular among my friends and family and they love it every time I prepare it. Tastes just like the South Indian hotel style rava kesari! If you follow the recipe to T, you just cannot go wrong with it!
Ingredients
- Semolina(Rava): I prefer to use fine or medium semolina rather than coarse semolina to give the kesari bath a smoother texture and helps it cook more evenly. Coarse semolina may result in a grittier texture, which might not be as desirable for this particular dish.
- Sugar: Granulated or caster sugar works perfectly.
- Water: Essential for cooking the semolina and sugar.
- Cardamom: Adds the delightful flavor to this Indian sweet.
- Food color: I prefer using food-grade safe coloring, preferably saffron orange color. A small amount, just under a pinch, is sufficient.
- Nuts: Cashews, halved or quartered, are my preference
How to make Rava kesari?: Step by Step
- Heat Ghee and Fry Cashew Nuts: Begin by heating ghee in a large pan. Add cashew nuts and fry until they turn golden brown. Transfer the fried cashews to a plate.
- Roast Semolina: Now add semolina and roast it over low flame until it becomes fragrant and slightly changes color. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes. Transfer the roasted semolina to a plate.
- Prepare Semolina Mixture: Pour boiling water from the kettle into the same pan. Gradually add the roasted semolina while continuously stirring. Ensure that all the semolina is absorbed into the water. Keep stirring throughout this process. Cover and cook for 4 minutes until the rava is cooked well.
- Add Sugar, Food Color, and Cardamom: Now add sugar, kesari color, to the mixture. Stir well. Don't worry if there are any lumps; they will dissolve during cooking.
- Cook Kesari Mixture: Stir in medium flame and let the kesari mixture cook for about 4-5 minutes until it comes together and forms a mass.
- Finish and Serve: Finally, add the fried cashew nuts, ground cardamom to the kesari mixture and give it a final stir. Your delicious Rava Kesari is ready to be served!
Serving Suggestions
Rava Kesari tastes best when served warm / hot as a dessert. For a fulfilling tiffin experience, it pairs excellently with Vegetable Rava Upma along with a cup of coffee or masala chai.
You can also serve this Kesari in Navratri platter along with puliogare, ven pongal, spicy potato chips and chickpeas chundal.
Storing leftovers
In the fridge: Any remaining Rava Kesari bath can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
In the freezer: Store in freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. They keep really well and taste just like when it was freshly made. Defrost well in the microwave and then reheat until pipping hot.
Reheat: While cold, it may develop lumps, but fear not! Upon reheating, it will return to its original creamy consistency. To reheat, transfer the kesari bath into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30-40 seconds or until thoroughly warmed, then serve and relish!
Tips to make the best Kesari bath recipe
- Roast semolina over low flame until aromatic; avoid rushing to prevent burning.
- Opt for fine to medium semolina for a smooth texture; coarser varieties may result in grittiness.
- For best results, follow the steps precisely rather than preparing a separate sugar syrup.
- Stir briskly through the cooking. Otherwise kesari will be lumpy here and there.
- Serve warm or hot for the ideal consistency; avoid serving cold to prevent lumpiness.
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Quick and easy Rava Kesari recipe below
Ingredients
- ¼ cup ghee
- ½ cup semolina rava
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon kesari orange color natural food grade safe color
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom powder
- 10 cashew nuts halved
Instructions
- Heat Ghee and Fry Cashew Nuts: Begin by heating ghee in a large pan. Add cashew nuts and fry until they turn golden brown. Transfer the fried cashews to a plate.
- Roast Semolina: To the same ghee pan, add semolina (rava) and roast it over low flame until it becomes fragrant and slightly changes color. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes. Transfer the roasted semolina to a plate.
- Prepare Semolina Mixture: Pour boiling water from the kettle into the same pan. Gradually add the roasted semolina while continuously stirring. Ensure that all the semolina is absorbed into the water. Keep stirring throughout this process. Cover and cook for 4 minutes or so until the rava (semolina) is cooked
- Add Sugar, Food Color: Once the semolina is fully absorbed, add sugar, kesari food color to the mixture. Stir well. Don't worry if there are any lumps; they will dissolve during cooking.
- Cook Kesari Mixture: Stir through the process and let the kesari mixture cook for about 5 minutes until it comes together, forms a mass and reaches a desired consistency.
- Finish with nuts and cardamom. Serve: Finally, add the fried cashew nuts and ground cardamom to the kesari mixture and give it a final stir. Your delicious Rava Kesari is ready to be served!
Notes
- Roast semolina over low flame until aromatic; avoid rushing to prevent burning.
- Opt for fine to medium semolina for a smooth texture; coarser varieties may result in grittiness.
- For best results, follow the steps precisely rather than preparing a separate sugar syrup.
- Stir briskly through the cooking. Otherwise kesari will be lumpy here and there.
- Serve warm or hot for the ideal consistency; avoid serving cold to prevent lumpiness.
Sandhya Hariharan says
This Rava Kesari bath recipe is melt in mouth consistency and is perfect to serve as an easy dessert anytime.
Yasir says
Very tasty, I just felt it was overly sweet for my taste.
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Thank you for trying.Glad you found it tasty. You can reduce the sugar by 1/2 a cup or so, if you prefer kesari less sweet.