KESARI BATH / RAVA KESARI / SHEERA !!!!!

My today's recipe is from VEGETARIAN RECIPES. Kesari Bath is a popular dish in South Indian resturants. There are 2 types of Kesari bath, one is Rava Kesari Bath & other ones is Rice Kesari bath. Today i am going to explain you about Rava Kesari bath.  This one is very simple Kesari bath. To make it rich in taste & for extra flavour, add finely chopped fruits like banana/pineapple/chikkoo to the Kesari Bath. I already posted about Pine apple sheera  & Banana sheera (sapada bhakshya) recipe in my blog. Going to post chikkoo sheera soon.

INGREDIENTS:-

1.	Fine rava / chiroti rava / semolina 1 cup
2.	Ghee / clarified butter 1cup or to taste;
3.	Sugar 1 cup or to taste;
4.	Water 3 and 1/4 - 3 and 1/2 cup
5.	Cloves 7-8
6.	Cashew nut 2 tablespoons
7. 8.	Dry grapes / raisins 2 tablespoons saffron strands - few for garnishing

METHOD :-

1. Heat sugar and water in a utensil to make the sugar syrup. Then, proceed to Step 2.
2. Add three-fourth of a cup of ghee to a thick-bottomed kadai or utensil. Also add to it cashew nuts, grapes, cloves and fine rava.
3. Fry on a low heat till the grapes swell and cashew nuts turn golden brown.
4. Check if the water-sugar mixture in Step 1 has come to a boil. If it has not, increase the heat and bring the mixture to boil. Otherwise, the syrup is ready.
Add the syrup to the rava mixture slowly and carefully, because the syrup may spurt upward. Mix thoroughly. 

5. Cover with a plate. Wait for three to four minutes. Remover the plate. 
If the mixture has not become thick, mix again till the rava absorbs all the syrup and mixture becomes thick.

6. Add one tablespoon of ghee from the remaining quarter-cup of the same item. Mix. 
Switch off the stove. Wait for two to three minutes.

7. Kesari bath is ready to eat. Garnish it with saffron strands & serve hot.

TIPS:-
1.	Add all the remaining ghee, if you want the kesari bath to be extra rich in Step 6.
2.	For smooth kesari bath use three-and-a-half cup of water and one more tablespoon of sugar.
3.	If you wish to give the kesari color for this sweet, dissolve a pinch of kesar / kesari / saffron stigmas in little water and add these to the sugar syrup.
4.	Here is another variety of this sweet: Add 1/4 cup of pineapple pieces to the water for making the sugar syrup. After the water boils for three to four minutes, add sugar.
5.	For additional flavor, add two pinches of elaichi / cardamom powder.
6.	If fine or chiroti rava is not available, use medium rava and use an extra quarter cup of water for making the sugar syrup.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))