Rava Kesari Bath Recipe is hands down one of the easiest dessert anybody can make in no time. If there is one thing that prevents people from trying kesari, it’s just because they end up with either a sticky or lumpy kesari. I promise, try out this recipe and you will end up in a crumbly yet super soft kesari that just glides in your mouth.
Rava kesari is a classic South Indian dessert made from semolina and is mainly prepared for breakfast or offered to god as a prasad (naivedyam) during pooja or festivals like ganesh chaturthi, navratri, krishna janmashtami etc. It is also known with several other names like sooji kesari, sooji halwa, sheera, semolina kesari or kesari bath. At many places it is served as a breakfast along with a savoury dish (Kesari bath with Khara bath aka Chow Chow bath).
It is commendable how semolina is used in different ways all over India. While Upma, a hot breakfast treat where the spices and vegetables are mixed together is a favourite with its simplicity, the sweet version like Kesari stands out as the ghee and sugar work their magic combining all the ingredients and lend a smooth melt in the mouth texture along with cardamom flavour….and not to forget the crunch from the nuts!!
Off to Rava Kesari Bath Recipe!!
Steps to follow for Rava Kesari Bath Recipe:
1- These are all the ingredients needed to prepare Rava Kesari sweet.
2- Transfer rava/semolina into a pan heated over medium heat.
3- Reduce the heat and roast rava over medium low heat until you get a nice aroma. Do not burn it. Set aside.
4- Now, combine sugar & water (1:3) in a bowl.
5- Bring the sugar syrup to a boil over medium high heat.
6- Add a pinch of orange colour or few saffron strands.
7- Mix well, set aside and immediately follow the next step.
8- Place back the pan with roasted rava on the heat and add boiling sugar liquid little by little to the rava .
9- Stir continuously to avoid lump formation.
NOTE:
You can add roasted rava to boiling sugar liquid or boiling sugar liquid to roasted rava. But, I find the latter method safer to avoid lumps in your halwa and you can also control the consistency desired. Either ways, continuous stirring is very important.
10- Keep adding more and more liquid while stirring.
11- Keep stirring to avoid lumps.
12- Cover with a lid and cook until done (2-3 minutes) on low heat.
13- Add 2 Tablespoons of ghee and mix well. Add more if you want a rich flavour & aroma.
14- Add cardamom powder, mix well, and turn off the heat.
15- Toast a few cashews (and raisins if preferred) in 1 teaspoon ghee until golden brown.
16- Transfer toasted nuts to the Kesari.
17- Mix well and serve when hot.
- Get ready to dig into this crumbly yet delicately soft Rava Kesari Bath or Suji Ka Halwa.
- You can also offer this sweet to God as Prasad (Naivedyam) during pooja or festivals.
- Or, have Kesari with Puri or prepare stuffed sweet puris known as Rava Puri or Sojjappalu.
Rava Kesari Bath Recipe | Suji Ka Halwa
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup White Rava, aka Bombay Rava/Suji/Semolina
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1 1/2-2 Cups Water
- A Pinch of Orange/Yellow Food Colour or few Saffron strands
- 3 Tbsp Ghee, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 10 Cashews, fried to golden brown in 1 tsp Ghee
- 10 Raisins, fried to golden brown in 1 tsp Ghee
Instructions
- Roast rava in a pan over medium low heat until you get a nice aroma and set aside.
- Now, combine sugar & water in a bowl and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of orange colour or few saffron strands. Set aside.
- Place back pan with rava over medium heat and add boiling sugar liquid little by little to the rava and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook until done on low heat.
- Add ghee and cardamom powder, mix well, and turn off the heat
- Toast a few cashews and raisins in 1 teaspoon ghee until golden brown.
- Transfer toasted nuts to the Kesari.
- Mix well and serve when hot.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Fine semolina (also known as bombay rava) is preferable for making rava kesari because it gives soft and fluffy texture. And it will also get cooked faster.
- Roasting semolina properly is the key to get the best texture. So, take your time, be patient and roast over medium low heat stirring constantly till you get nice aroma and slight color change. Do not burn or over roast. We are not looking for brown color. Just slight color change.
- You can also replace orange food colour with a few saffron strands.
- Continuous stirring after adding boiling liquid to roasted rava (or Vice versa) is very important step to avoid lumps.
- Also make sure to use ghee for more rich flavour and aroma. It also gives a glossy and shiny look to the halwa.
- If you try to cut down on ghee or sugar, you will not achieve the same flavour or texture that it is famous for.
- Variation: You can also substitute the water with same amount of milk and it also gives a rich & creamy texture. Or use half water and half milk which also gives the perfect balance of richness and creaminess.
Hope you enjoyed Rava Kesari Bath Recipe !!
Check out other FESTIVAL RECIPES and DESSERT RECIPES from blog.
Also check out other Navaratri Recipes below:
- Rava Puri or Sojjappalu
- Mango Kesari or Sheera
- Bobbatlu or Puran Poli
- Coconut Obbattu
- Kobbari Poornam
- Rajma Sundal
- Allam Garelu
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Happy Cooking 
Cheers!!
Padma.
It’s a absolute favorite in home and I always end up preparing kesari when sudden guests arrive. Kesari bath looks so delicious. Love the way you have shaped them using cookie cutter
This looks and sounds so delicious. I love Rava kesari but never tried making it myself, will try your recipe now. Thanks for sharing this easy recipe.
Love this easy and quick dessert recipe .. Perfect to make for festive time if someone is hurry and need to make a dessert. So beautiful step by step pics of this rava kesari !!!
Very rightly said, this sweet semolina pudding is known with different names across India. We call it suji ka halwa and often make it on festive occasions and puja ceremonies. Needless to say, I am in awe of your clicks, which are making this yummilicious dessert even more irresistible and mouthwatering.
We love good Suji ka halwa at home, but never made kesari halwa. I love this traditional dessert which is easy, quick and loved by all. Beautiful step by step pics.
This is the quickest and easiest sweet we can prepare and nothing goes wrong with making this sweet right? Such beautiful captures.
Love how you’ve shaped rava kesari bath, looks so cute. Its true how semolina is used all over India to make sweet and savory dishes. Each area has its own recipe to make the pudding, with water, with milk, using almonds, adding cardamom. When offered to God all the variations taste the best.
I am a huge fan of rava kesari… can have it any time of the day. I love your way of making it with caramelized sugar, adds that color and gives it a lovely dimension. Drooling at your baath, looks absolutely melt in mouth…
Easy and quick dessert recipe which can be prepared and served during any festival and occasions and no one will ever dislike this yummy dessert
Rava Kesari bath is one of the easiest ever recipes made with humble ingredient Rava/sooji.
The clicks are so tempting that I feel like grabbing a bite of it from my screen.