This baked Rava Kesari is my take on a South Indian version of Basbousa.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian
Servings: 8pieces
Author: Famidha Ashraf
INGREDIENTS
For the saffron-flavoured sugar syrup
½cupsugar
¼cupwater
½teaspoonlime juice
a pinch of saffron strands
1green cardamom
For the Rava Kesari batter
¾cupfine semolina
¼cupmelted ghee
1tablespoondesiccated coconutoptional but recommended
Mix and warm-up
2tablespoonssugar
1tablespoonghee
¼cupmilk
¼cupprepared syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the syrup
Boil the sugar and water until all of the sugar is dissolved. Do not stir. Add the rest of the ingredients and boil for 5 to 8 minutes. Switch off and keep it aside.
½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon lime juice, a pinch of saffron strands, 1 green cardamom
Prepare the batter
Take time and mix semolina and ghee using fingertips or a rubber spatula until every bit of rava is coated with ghee. Mix in the desiccated coconut, if using.
¾ cup fine semolina, ¼ cup melted ghee, 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
Warm the mixture of sugar, ghee, milk and syrup. Pour and fold them into the semolina ghee bowl. The batter will be thick.
2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon ghee, ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup prepared syrup
Bake the Rava Kesari
Preheat the oven to 190°C with a rack in the middle. Grease a shallow cake pan with ghee.
Dump the prepared dough-like batter and level it evenly. Use a butter knife and score lines to cut portions and sprinkle some slivered pistachios or place cashews.
Bake for 25 mins or until the top is browned and the sides release from the pan. Remove from the oven and pour the remaining cooled saffron-flavoured sugar syrup all over.
Serve warm or at room temperature. The texture is crispy on top and soft inside and overall sweet and delicious.