Pineapple Kesari | Pineapple Sheera Recipe | Pineapple Kesaribath Recipe

Happy New Year to all my friends, family and the readers of my blog!!
I would like to start the new year with a sweet post in my blog and hence sharing a simple and delicious Pineapple Kesari recipe to start the new year on a sweet note.
In south India,Pineapple Kesaribath is one of the most commonly served sweet for breakfast in many of the occasions like marriage of family functions.Apart from Pineapple Kesaribath , Kasi halwa is again a popular sweet which is served during breakfast. Also the liberal usage of ghee and vanaspati gives the kesari a melt in mouth texture but one can alter the amount when prepared at home for a healthy variation.

I am not a fan of Kesaribath but I love the taste of Pineapple Kesari as the fruit adds a nice and unique flavor to the kesari.  If you like to experiment more fruit flavours for Sheera you can try Mango Sheera, Chikoo Sheera, Apple Sheera or mixed fruit(apple, pineapple,grapes).All of the above varieties tastes great in its own way but for me I would say that the Pineapple sheera is best among all.Next time if you have guests over do give this halwa a try.I am sure your guests would love it.

Check out few easy halwa/kesari recipes here.

• Carrot Halwa | Gajar ka Halwa
• Carrot-Beetroot Halwa using Condensed milk
• Kasi halwa
• Lauki(Bottlegourd) Halwa
• Mango Sheera | Mango Sooji Halwa 
• Semiya Kesari 

Pineapple Kesaribath | Pineapple Sheera Recipe:

Serves 2-3

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins | Total time: 30 mins

Cuisine: Indian | Category: Sweets/Desserts

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Sooji/Rawa

1/2 cup + 2tbsp Sugar

1/2 cup fresh Pineapple pieces,chopped

1/4 cup Ghee

1 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup Water 

2 tbsp Raisins

8-10 Cashew nut, halves

12-15 Saffron strands

1 tbsp Milk

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder, optional

Method:

• Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a kadai and fry cashewnut halves until slight brown in color and remove with a slotted soon.Add raisins and fry until they become plumpy and remove them to the plate.

• Meanwhile boil Pineapple pieces in 1/2 cup of water until it is completely cooked and the water is almost evaporated.It takes 8-10 mins.Add sugar to it and cook until the sugar melts.Do not cook for long.

• Soak saffron in a tbsp of warm milk.Rub saffron through your fingers before adding which enhances the color of saffron.
• In the same ghee as the dry fruits roasted add sooji and roast on medium flame until you get nice fragrance by stirring it constantly.

• Boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a vessel and keep it ready.
• Add boiling water to the roasted sooji mixture and keep stirring continuously while adding the water and cook it for 4-5 mins until the sooji is cooked.

• Add cooked pineapple and soaked saffron to the cooked sooji mixture and stir it nicely and cook it for 5 mins.

• Add fried cashewnuts, raisins, cardamom powder and 1 tbsp of ghee and mix it nicely.

Serve it hot/warm or at room temperature

Notes:

1. You can reduce ghee to 2 tbsp but the texture of halwa is soft if the mentioned quantity is added.
2. I usually cook pineapple first along with sugar which makes the pineapple pieces sweet and enhances the taste of the halwa.
3. You can add pineapple essence if you are preparing it in large quantity.For small quantity it is not needed.
4. You can use even the tinned pineapple pieces, in that case you don't need to boil the pineapple.Add pineapple pieces and sugar after sooji is being cooked.You can even use the syrup of the pineapple and needs to adjust the sugar quantity based on that.
5. I do not use food colors and hence added good quality saffron which gives a nice natural yellow color to the halwa. If you want you can add a pinch of yellow color.
6. You can use other variety of mixed fruits like apple,pineapple and grapes and follow the same process for Fruit Halwa.
7. Halwa tends to become thick once it cools down.Microwave it before serving for softer version. If you want a loose textured halwa for longer time you can add 2 tbsp odourless oil or vanaspati along with ghee in the recipe which helps in retaining the soft texture of the halwa.
8. If you want the kesari more sweeter increase the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup, but for us it is rightly sweetened with this measurement.

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