Orange Rava Kesari / Orange flavored Suji Halwa - Festive cooking

Suji halwa is one of the most popular traditional Indian dessert. A sweet preparation made from semolina , ghee , milk and sugar,  this dish with slight variations is liked throughout India and is known by different names. In South India it is called kesari bhaat , in Maharashtra it is known as sheera and in North part of India as suji ka halwa. 

 We Maharashtrians usually make sheera as an offering to please the deity on festivals and special occasions like Ekadashi , Janmashtami , Ramnavmi , Satyanarayan katha etc.  Kiran and i both observe fast on every Monday. To open the fast a satvik bhojan is cooked and kheer or sheera forms a typical dessert. There are many variations to the suji halwa. Jaggery can be used to sweeten the dessert instead of sugar. I usually pair seasonal fruits with the halwa and it tastes awesome.

  I have used fruits like banana , mango , pineapple in Narayani Sheera , Mango Halwa and Pineapple Kesari respectively to flavor my suji halwa earlier  and they turned out pretty well. This time i used orange juice to flavor the suji halwa and believe me the results were beyond my expectation. The halwa turned out to be soft and flavorful. Crushed nuts and raisins give body to the halwa and saffron, orange juice and cardamom add delicious flavors to the dessert. 

Try out this aromatic and flavorful variation to the usual suji halwa and awee your loved ones. Weather you serve it as a filling winter breakfast or as a bhog ( naivedhyam - food to be offered to God) or simply to satisfy the sweet cravings , this orange rava kesari is sure to win hearts. This dessert can make any occasion special. 

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients: Measurement used - 1 cup = 200 ml

• 1 cup orange juice ( extracted from 2 oranges )
• 1/2 cup suji / semolina
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoon ghee / clarified butter
• 3 tablespoon crushed nuts of choice ( i have used almonds and pistachios)
• 2 tablespoon raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
• Few strands of saffron

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a non stick wok. Add suji and roast it on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes or until aromatic. This proper roasting of suji is crucial step in cooking a delicious , melt in mouth halwa. Keep stirring the suji so that it roasts evenly and does not catch the bottom of the pan.

  2.  Meanwhile in another sauce pan heat water . Add saffron strands followed by sugar. Allow the sugar syrup heat to a rolling boil.

  3.  Once you get a nice aroma of ghee roasted suji , add raisins and crushed nuts. Mix well and roast the mixture for another 2-3 minutes.

  4. Add hot sugar syrup to the roasted semolina . Be careful while doing so as lots of heat is generated in this step. Ensure that the burner is on low heat. As the syrup starts to bubble up and sprinkle all over.

   5.  The roasted semolina absorbs all the hot sugar syrup . Mix well and blend in all of the mixture with the sugar syrup evenly . Now add the orange juice ( including pulp) and blend well. Keep folding the mixture to avoid lumps and to prevent it from catching the bottom of the pan.

  6. keep stirring until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan. Now add cardamom powder and mix well. Put off the flame. 

   7. Delicious orange flavored suji halwa is ready to be served. 

   Notes:

• Use a heavy bottom nonstick pan or wok to make the halwa .
• The suji should be roasted in ghee on a low to medium flame or until aromatic to get a perfect halwa.
• Do not add cold water or milk to the suji, as it will make the halwa sticky. Ensure both the sugar syrup and roasted suji, both are hot while they are mixed.
• Try using fresh home made orange juice and pulp in this kesari.

For more similar recipes , do check my posts on

• Pineapple Halwa
• Mango Halwa
• Narayani Sheera
• Gajar Ka Halwa

   

I hope some of you would love to try out this variation . If you do so , please feel free to share your feedback with me. Till then eat healthy and stay fit.