Apple Kesari, a delicious South-Indian dessert made with fresh apples and rava. A quick and easy halwa to make for pooja and festivities.
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🥣 What is Kesari Dessert?
The ingredient used in making the dessert Sooji/semolina is called rava in South-india. The term ‘kesari’ refers to saffron color. Since this dessert is made with sooji/semolina and has an orange color it is called rava kesari.
Kesari, one of easiest desserts made in Indian kitchens. You have sudden guests, some pooja at home or simply wanted to have something sweet, kesari comes to rescue. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and it is so versatile.
Kesari is known as Sooji ka halwa, sheera , kesari bath etc. There might be a slight change in the cooking method, but they all taste delicious.
The general proportion for getting a perfect kesari, is 1:2:3, for a cup of sooji/rava, 2 cups of sugar and 3 cups of liquid. Ensure the liquid is warm when you add it to the sooji, so there will be no lumps. Along with ghee use little oil to get a glossy kesari.
🍎 Apple Kesari
I have an affinity towards kesari. It is an easy and versatile dessert to make. I have made quite a lot of kesari varieties. The simple rava kesari, beets kesari, exotic mango kesari. I even made a strawberry kesari for Rafeeda’s blog as guest post.
Today’s Apple kesari is yet another twist to this traditional dessert. Soft cooked apples sauteed in ghee and cooked with semolina for a soft texture. Usually cardamom or saffron is added to flavor this dessert. Since, this is apple kesari, i have used Cinnamon, the best spice with apples. The mild flavor of cinnamon, along with apples, takes this dessert to another level.
I don’t use artificial colors in my kesari, so for this apple kesari, i didn’t add any other color and left the apples and cinnamon naturally bring their hue to the halwa.
💭 How to make Apple Kesari
Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions.
- Roast the rava/sooji/semolina in ghee. This is an important step and not to be missed. Even if you are using roasted semolina, roast it again in ghee.
- Remove the rava/sooji/semolina. In the same pan, add ghee and sauté the shredded apples. Tip in the roasted sooji and warm milk and water to this and let it cook until rava/sooji is soft.
- Add sugar and cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Finally add ghee and roasted nuts to the kesari and take it off the stove.
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Kheers & Kesari
📖 Recipe
Apple Kesari |Apple Sheera |Easy Dessert
Ingredients
- 1 cup sooji/semolina/rava,
- 2 nos soft apples, washed and grated
- ¾ tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 nos clove, crushed
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 cups water
- 5 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3 tbsp cashew-nuts
- 3 tbsp raisins
Instructions
- Before we start with our kesari, in a sauce pan take milk and water mixed together and heat it in a low flame. When we add this liquid to the kesari it should hot. Adding hot liquid is important to get a good texture rava dish.
- Heat a heavy bottom pan, add a tsp of 2 of ghee, roast cashew-nuts until golden and remove. Add raisins to the hot ghee, when it plumps up, remove it from ghee. Set both aside until use.
- To the same pan, add 1 tbsp ghee, and roast the rava/sooji in a simmer flame, until it is golden brown. Even if you are using pre-roasted rava, do not skip this step. Transfer the roasted rava/semolina/sooji onto a clean plate.
- In the same pan, add 2 tbsp of ghee, add the grated apples, cloves powder and cinnamon powder and sauté for 5 minutes, until apples release a nice aroma. To this now add the roasted rava and saute for 2 minutes.
- Now add the hot milk and water to this and mix well. Take care while adding the liquid to hot pan, it will splutter. Reduce the flame, add the liquid slowly,
- Keep stirring to avoid lumps. If the liquid is hot enough, there won't be any lumps. If you get lumps, don't worry, just take your potato masher and mash it well.
- Keep the flame simmer. Let the rava/semolina cook well. As it cooks, it will absorb all the liquid. So keep the flame simmer and stir frequently or else it might burn at the bottom. It might take around 10-15 minutes for the rava/semolina cook soft.
- Once the rava is cooked, add sugar to this. When sugar is added, the kesari/sheera might liquify a bit, do not worry, it will get absorbed.
- Now add the remaining ghee and oil and mix well. Once all the liquid is absorbed and the kesari follows the ladle as you mix, it is done.
- Add the roasted cashewnuts and raisins. Take it off the stove. serve warm and enjoy this flavorsome dessert.
This delicious apple kesari is a delicious dessert to make for any occasion. They are quick and easy to make during pooja and other traditional festivities as offering.
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I can see a nice change to the blog! Looks better now… the fonts are so readable! 🙂 I have been dreaming apple kesari since long but wondering why I never got to making it… hmm… looks super good…
Omg, give me that bowl, those spoons are damn pretty. Irresistble kesari Priya.
I've never tried this dish before. I love apple dishes, this sounds like it would be quite warming and comforting.
What a wonderful sounding recipe this is! I love to find and try new authentic recipes like this. I've had a traditional American Rice Pudding that I LOVE but I think this twist is worthy of a try!
This sounds really tasty! I love Apple dishes, and this sounds like it would be right up my alley. It looks so beautiful.
You're absolutely Right the cinnamon and apples just go together. This just sounds like such a tasty, great combination!
Your dark moody pictures are wonderful. The dish looks even better. Delish!!
I've never had Sooji before, but it sounds SO delicious! And these photos have me drooling!
Well this sounds delicious! I love Indian food and this dessert sounds amazing.
I can imagine how good this smells with the cinnamon and cloves. I love apples in dessert!
I love sheera.. I grew up eating sheera as a kids for Sunday breakfast. This looks so delicious. I love the apple twist..
Here is a dessert I need to try. I love the list of ingredients. This is something I am going to try over the weekend.
Oh, what a homey and comforting looking dessert! I love the flavour profile that you're building here! Oh, and those little spoons are so damn cute. 🙂
I don't make kesari that often but whenever I do, it is plain kesari without any fruits. Apple kesari looks so good and delicious!!
The dessert looks delicious. Reading the ingredients I can see where they would come together beautifully resulting in one fantastic fruit dessert. I bet it was gone in a blink of an eye.
This sounds delicious! I've only used semolina for pasta before, so I like the idea of using it in a dessert.
I've never heard of this pudding but it looks wonderful and I love so many of the ingredients, I am sure I would love it 😀
I love the idea of using semolina! I have heard of rice for rice pudding which is my hubby's favorite but never made it. Semolina and saffron sound so amazing!
Apple kesari is so interesting and I love making it in fall when we have an abundance of apple at home. I have not tried using milk in the kesari. Must try it sometime as it would add a richness.
A very tasteful twist to usual sooji halwa…must try it
Adding apple to kesari is a great idea. Will have to try this some time.
Addition of apple in rava halwa, great idea, even good for toddler.
The apple halwa is a tasty one and I too love adding fruits to rava kesari.
I love adding fruits to rava kesari. Beautiful pictures.