Pineapple Sheera/ Pineapple Rava Kesari/ Pineapple Kesari Bhath

Pineapple sheera /kesari is our family favourite. It is the easiest and the most popular sweet from South India. It is made with rava (semolina/suji), ghee, sugar, pineapple and dry fruits. Rava Kesari is popularly called as kesari bhath in karnataka, sooji ka halwa or sheera in north india.

Pineapple Kesari Bhath Recipe is one of the most common, traditional dishes in Karnataka. The Kesari Bhath is a must during weddings or for breakfast and is usually served along with Khara bhath (upma).

I HOPE YOU ALL WILL LOVE THE RECIPE. ENJOY :)

Ingredients

Semolina/ Rava – 1 cup Pineapple – 1 & 1/2 cups

Ghee – 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Cashew nuts - 10

Raisins - 8

Water – 3 cups

Salt – A pinch Sugar – 1 cup + 4tbsp Yellow food colour - 2 drops

Method

1. Peel, cut, remove the center hard part of the pineapple and finely chop into small tiny pieces. Sprinkle 4 tbsp of sugar and keep aside 2 hours or for 30 minutes.

2. In a pan, add ghee, roast cashew nuts and raisins until the cashew nuts are slightly golden brown and raisins are plumped up. Add rava and roast well on medium flame until the raw smell is gone.

3. Side by side, boil water in another pan.

4. Add it carefully to the roasted rava on low flame. It will splutter, so please be careful. Add a pinch of salt. Mix and cook on high flame until water is absorbed and the rava gets thick. 

5. Level with back of ladle. Cook covered in low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes.

6. Mix once cooked and add sugar. Mix briskly in a mashing way to avoid lumps.

7. Add pineapple cubes with the water content. Mix well.

8. Add a table spoon of ghee and keep stir. 

9. Once the sheera/ kesari is thick, switch off the flame. Add little ghee on top.

10. your pineapple rava kesari bhaath/ sheera is ready to serve

Tips

• Choose sweet ripe pineapples, not sour ones.

• I have used natural food colour, to avoid artificial food colours. You can skip the colour too. Or add a pinch of saffron if you like the flavour and colour.

• The sugar I used for sprinkling over pineapple is inclusive of the sugar quantity I mentioned.

• Ghee can be added as per your wish. Recommend to add atleast 1/4 cup.

• I did not add cardamom as I wanted to get the full pineapple flavour.

• Salt is added to give a balanced taste. Otherwise I find the kesari so plain and flat.

• How to know the kesari is ready? - There will be small, short strings(just like sugar syrup strings) forming while you stir. Just in case you are too confused when the kesari is ready.

Always serve hot or warm for a soft kesari. Smells great and taste superb!