Kesari Bath

Method

1. 1

   About Kesari Bath: Kesari Bath is a golden, saffron-coloured Karnataka sweet made from semolina, ghee and sugar. It is one of the quickest Indian sweets to make and is served as a breakfast dessert or festival sweet. The name comes from kesari meaning saffron in Kannada.

2. 2

   Gather ingredients: You need 1 cup coarse semolina (sooji or rava), 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tbsp ghee, 2 cups water, a generous pinch of saffron, half tsp cardamom powder, a few drops of orange food colour (optional but gives the characteristic golden-orange colour), 2 tbsp cashews and 2 tbsp raisins.

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   Fry the dry fruits: Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan. Add cashews and fry on medium heat until golden — about 1 minute. Add raisins and fry 30 seconds until they puff up. Remove and keep aside.

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   Roast the semolina: In the same pan add remaining 2 tbsp ghee. Add the semolina and roast on medium heat, stirring continuously, for 6-8 minutes until it turns very lightly golden and smells nutty. Do not let it brown too much. The roasting removes the raw taste and is essential for good flavour.

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   Boil the water: In a separate pot bring 2 cups water to a rolling boil. Add the saffron strands, a few drops of orange food colour and the sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.

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   Add water to semolina carefully: This step requires care as the mixture will splatter. Reduce heat under the roasted semolina to low. Slowly pour the hot sweet saffron water into the pan while stirring vigorously with the other hand. It will bubble and sputter — pour carefully and keep stirring to prevent lumps.

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   Cook and stir: Increase heat to medium. Stir vigorously and continuously as the mixture will thicken very rapidly. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the semolina absorbs all the water and the mixture becomes thick and glossy.

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   Final ghee: Add a little extra ghee around the edges and mix in. The kesari should look glossy and come away from the sides of the pan cleanly.

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   Add flavourings: Add cardamom powder and the fried cashews and raisins. Stir to combine.

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    Serve: Kesari Bath can be served directly from the pan in scoops, or pressed into a greased tray and cut into diamond shapes when slightly cooled. Serve warm. It is traditionally eaten alongside savoury Pongal or upma for the classic Karnataka breakfast combination called Chow Chow Bath.