Pineapple Kesari is a classic dessert from the State of Karnataka, prepared with semolina, sugar and fresh pineapple!
Pineapple Kesari is a popular sweet that is very common in south India, often served in marriages. Rava kesari is one top pick sweet or dessert for any auspicious occasion. Back home amma makes the best kesari.
Whenever fresh ripe pineapple shows up at her kitchen, this gets made and also due to its popular demand in our family, it shows up on all family get togethers and special occasions. I happened to learn this recipe from her and few other tips from family friend of ours who’s in the catering business.
How to make Pineapple Kesari?
All it takes is some fresh juicy pineapple along with fine rava, sugar, ghee, nuts and cardamom. The rest of ingredients are just to keep it appetizing and colorful.
Bombay Rava – A fine variety of semolina is preferred for this dish, it cooks fast and also tends to have a smooth texture to it after cooking.
Pineapple – Fresh, juicy pineapples suits for this dish, canned or tinned works as well.
Ghee & Oil – Ghee is used for smooth texture and flavor. While adding a little oil will help to keep the kesari soft for long time.
Nuts – Cashews adds a nice crunch, melon seeds works as well!
Raisins – This is optional because this is a version of fruit kesari and adding another will over power the flavor of the main. You add a few if desired!
Food Color & Essence – Yellow food color is not always a must but adding a pinch will keep the dish attractive. Pineapple essence adds a lot of flavor is optional too but if you prefer Hotel or catering style kesari then go for it!
Which Pineapple to use – Fresh or Canned?
Mostly fresh, sweet, juicy and pineapples are preferred for this recipe. Canned pineapples work as well. If using fresh pineapple it needs to be cooked to keep it palatable. Cooking it with little sugar & water will help to balance the sourness and keeps it soft & sweet.
Canned Pineapples are partially cooked / blanched and also loaded with sugar content. Hence, cooking them in water and sugar is not essential and remember to adjust sugar accordingly.
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Recipe Video Available in English & Tamil
Milk Kesari
Pineapple Kesari - Pineapple Kesari Bath - How to make Pineapple Kesari
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Pineapple Finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Semolina rava
- 1 cup Water for semolina
- 1/4 cup Water for pineapple
- 1 cup Sugar (includes 2 tbsp for cooking syrup)
- 1 tiny pinch Salt
- 2 each Green Cardamom powdered
- 1/8 tsp Yellow food color yellow food colour
- 2 tbsp Ghee for roasting
- 1 tbsp Refined cooking oil optional
- 1 tbsp Ghee for drizzle
- 10 to 15 halved Cashews
- 5 each Raisins optional
Instructions
Prep work
- Cut Pineapple, discard the outer skin and core. Chop the flesh into small cubes and keep it aside. Retain the dripping juice to cook the pineapple. Canned pineapple works as well.
- Heat ghee and oil in a pan. ( Oil is optional, avoids lumping and helps to retain soft, smooth texture and consistency for long time)
- Roast cashews until golden on all sides. Remove just the fried cashews and retain the ghee and oil in the pan. Raisins can be fried along at this stage if desired! This is a fruit kesari and will have tiny bits fruits chunks, adding raisins will over power the taste, hence avoiding it.
- Now roast the rava in the same pan with the leftover ghee and oil for 5 minutes over low medium flame or until it turns aromatic.
- In a pan, heat 1/4 cup water and add the pineapple pieces along with 2 tablespoon of sugar. (You may use pineapple juice instead of water)
- Bring it to a boil and cook the pineapple pieces in it for 3 to 4 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.
- Now add one cup of water that we reserved for cooking the rava.
- Add food color at this stage and bring it a light boil.
- When it starts to boil, add roasted rava and cook over low flame until all water is absorbed. As soon as you add rava, it will have a small whitish speck in the center and this will disappear as you cook. That is one indication that your rava is cooked thoroughly!
- Add sugar along with salt and cardamom powder and mix well. The sugar will melt and turn the mixture a little watery.
- Again, cook until all the sugar syrup is absorbed. Stir constantly to avoid lumps and cook until it turns thick.
- Add roasted cashews and ghee at this stage. Cook for few minutes and turn it off!
- If adding pineapple essence you may do so add at this stage and mix well.
- Serve warm!
Video
Notes
- Saffron, raisins and any other toasted nuts are optional.
- Adding little oil will help to keep the kesari to attain a soft texture. Also will hold it that way for a long time.
- A pinch of salt will always kindle the sweet flavor.
- Usually is 1:2 ratio rava water measure but if the pineapple is not juicy then add 1/4 cup extra.
- Fresh pineapple chunks are being used for this recipe, you can also use canned pineapple along with the juice for this recipe.
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