Milk Kesari

Milk Kesari

Ingredients:

Sooji / Rava /Semolina - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 2 cup
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp
Saffron - a pinch
Nuts & Dried Fruits - 1/2 cup ( Almonds,Cashews & Sultanas)

Method:

In a tsp of ghee fry the nuts and dried fruits till golden. Set aside.

Take a non stick kadai and heat a tsp of ghee. Add in sooji and fry for a couple of mins.

Now add in milk and mix well continously so lumps are formed.

Once everything is mixed well. Cover the pan and cook on a very low flame for 10 mins till all milk is absorbed and the sooji is cooked.

Now add in sugar and mix well. The mixture will turn runny again. 

Now keep stirring so nothing sticks to the pan. Add in cardamom and saffron. Mix well.

Now add in half of the ghee and stir continously. Once it is absorbed, add in the food colouring and mix well.

Add the remaining ghee and mix well. Add the fried nuts also.

Once the mixtures leaves the sides of the pan and come together as a mass.

Now pour this in a greased plate and allow it to set for 15 mins, or you can serve by scooping it into individual bowls.

Once the kesari is set, cut into squares and serve..

Notes:

1)While adding milk stir continously so no lumps are formed. If you are nervous about this, you can boil the milk separately and pour that in while mixing. This will avoid formation of lumps.
2) The amount of ghee depends on your taste. Adding 1/2 cup of ghee will give good taste and texture. You can reduce it as you like.

3) Roasting rava is important, Even though you buy roasted sooji, give a good couple of mins roast in ghee. That will give good aroma.
4) Sugar level also depends on taste. 1 cup of sugar makes a medium sweet kesari and i love it this way. You can increase the sugar level if you like it too sweet.

Pictorial:

Take all your ingredients

Fry up your mixture of nuts

Heat ghee in a nonstick pan

Add in sooji

Fry for a couple of mins

Add in milk

Mix well so no lumps are formed

Cover and cook

Till the milk is completely absorbed

Now add in sugar

Mix well

Add in saffron and cardamom powder

Mix well

Add in half of the ghee

Add a pinch of food colour

Mix well

Now add the remaining ghee

Cook till it leaves the sides of the pan

Cook Cook Cook

Add the fried nuts

Mix well

Pour it in a greased pan

Cut and Serve