Pineapple Kesari

Kesari is traditionally one of the quick fix sweets in south Indian kitchen. Whenever there are some unexpected guests in our house we would expect kesari and bajji for our snack at teatime. I remember one time when my mom desperately wanted to make some Kesari for our guests and she ran out of elaichi. She wanted me to go to the store, when I was making huge money in my trade game with my cousins.I was not ready and I asked my mom " why not make it without elakkai" she replied that "Its not kesari if there is no ellaikai its just rava kanji".Even then I didnt go to the store but my cousin did ,so thats another story. So here is another recipe which absorbs the exotic flavour of Cardamom for the "Think Spice Event".Its the good old Kesari made with Rava/sooji/semolina, but this time I added some chopped pineapple to give it a twist.It turned out really fruity.

1 cup coarse Sooji/Rava/Semolina

1 can chopped Pineapple

1/2 cup Sugar

2 pods Elaichi

a pinch of salt

a pinch of lemon yellow food colour(op)

3 tblsp ghee

1tblsp cahews

Add 1 tblsp of ghee in a hot pan.Fry the Rava in it till golden.Remove and keep aside.

Add 1 tblsp of ghee in the pan and add the cashews.Fry till golden brown, keep aside.

Add 2 cups of water in the same pan, add the elaichi and the food colour and let it boil.

Reduce the flame ,add the Rava little by little by stirring well so that no lumps are formed.

When it reaches a semi solid consistency add the sugar and chopped pineapple , stir well.

Add the remaining ghee and the cashews and stir well. The amount of ghee is purely up to the individuals taste. Serve warm