Pineapple Kesari is a delightful combination of semolina and pineapple. Serve it with pride, it is flavoursome and looks amazing!
This is my version, where I use fresh (and not tinned) pineapple. The ease with which it comes together is rather unexpected. This Pineapple Kesari (or halwa as people in the North call it) is simply delicious!
The story behind the recipe!
Friendship! Yes, that’s the actual theme behind this recipe for the pineapple kesari.
When I was new to Instagram , some friends asked me to join in their collaboration for Friendship Day. And I was happy to do so. Since yellow is the colour for friendship in my mind (thinking of all the yellow roses I got during college rose days!), I had to create a yellow dish.
Do you also agree that friends are a valuable and irreplaceable part of our lives? That they keep us going, by just being there, and by being empathetic…
I’d be lost without friends. We share joys and sorrows with friends, at times even before we share with family.
So this recipe was born!
The video version
I just modified my timelapse video for you. You can add 1/2 cup more sugar if you like it to be sweet. Ghee and nuts also can be to your taste.
So just a reminder… Call that friend you haven’t chatted with for a while!
And if you think they’d like to make this Halwa/ Kesari, share this post with them 🤩 Spread the fragrance 😀
How to serve Pineapple Kesari
Pineapple Kesari is popular all over South India as it is easy, looks grand and can be served in multiple ways.
Serve it as a breakfast dish along with idlies, vadai or dosais. Or as a side dish with biryani, as South Indians like to do during weddings. Enjoy as an evening snack. Send it in tiffin boxes for school lunch.
With all these things beckoning, it makes sense to jump right into the recipe. Do look at the notes at the end for variations.
Pineapple Kesari
Course: MainCuisine: South IndianDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes15
minutesIngredients
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp cashews
1 tbsp raisins
1 cup pineapple pieces
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
strands of saffron in warm milk
2 cups rava/ sooji/ semolina (roasted)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
pinch of turmeric (optional)
Directions
- Heat ghee in a pan on very low heat. Fry cashews in it till golden brown.
- Add raisins. Stir, remove them.
- To the same pan, add pineapple pieces. Fry. Cook covered for 3-5 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
- Now add water and then milk. Bring to a boil.
- Add sugar and saffron.
- Drizzle in the roasted semolina from a height, stirring all the time as seen in the video, to prevent lumps.
- Add turmeric (if using) and cardamom powder.
- Add the fried fruit and nuts. Serve hot.
Notes
- Add turmeric to give a richer yellow colour in case the saffron is not strong enough. Avoid artificial colours. Do not worry, it will not give you any flavour, only the colour.
- You can add more ghee if it is for a special occasion.
- In case your family prefers a sweeter version, add powdered sugar while kesari is still warm and mix thoroughly.
- You can use white sugar in case you do not have brown sugar.