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    Home » South Indian » Rava Kesari

    How to make Godhuma Rava Kesari Recipe with Milk

    Published: Oct 15, 2020 · Modified: Oct 11, 2022 by Pavani · 13 Comments

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    Rava Kesari aka Kesaribath is an easy and delicious dessert. This recipe is made with wheat rava and milk. It is a perfect dessert to make during festivals or for any special occasion.

    Terracotta bowl with rava kesari topped with almond flakes

    Godhuma rava halwa aka kesaribath is a easy to make South Indian sweet dish. Traditionally it is made with sooji or semolina. But this recipe uses wheat rava (cracked wheat, samba rava or dalia), making it a little more nutritious.

    I make this for festivals like Dasara, Diwali as neivedyam/ prasad or offering to god. This halwa is also made as Satyanarayana swamy prasad. It is the most requested dessert from my kids as well.

    I am all for quick and easy recipes and this one fits the bill perfectly. It takes less than 20 minutes to make this dish and all you need is 3~4 ingredients.

    So compared to more elaborate Indian desserts, this is one of the fastest that you can whip up. Also this is a very basic recipe that even a beginner cook can master in no time.

    Burgundy tray with a bowl of kesaribath

    Why I love this recipe

    • First of all, this is the easiest Indian dessert there is.
    • It is creamy, sweet and delicious.
    • Using wheat rava, makes it more nutritious than sooji.
    • Recipe can be easily customized to make it vegan and dairy-free - so perfect for people on specific diets. I have added tips below.
    • Can be made with other grains like jonna rava kesari (jowar/ sorghum).
    • Fruits like chopped pineapple, mango etc can be added to make this a seasonal treat.

    Ingredients

    As I mentioned this sweet treat needs only handful of ingredients. Here is what you need:

    Wheat Rava aka godhuma rava/ dalia. I like to use the fine variety because it mimics sooji in texture, but is more nutritious. If you can't find fine variety, then go with medium-coarse one.

    Milk - I use 2% low-fat milk. Whole milk will give the best creamy texture. But you can make it with a combination of water and milk (50:50) or with just water.

    My husband is lactose intolerant, so sometimes I make it with just water. Halwa may not be as creamy but it is still delicious.

    Ingredients for the recipe - details in the recipe card

    Ghee - adds the characteristic flavor and rich texture to this dessert. You can use as much or as little as you like.

    Other ingredients you need are:

    • Granulated Sugar - typically this dish is made with white sugar.
    • Ground Cardamom
    • Cashews, Almonds and Raisins

    Instructions

    Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan; fry the cashews and raisins until golden. Remove into a bowl and set aside.

    Fried almonds, cashews and raisins

    In the same pan, heat the remaining ghee in the same pan on medium heat; add the wheat rava and cook it until golden, about 3~5 minutes. Your kitchen will start to smell fragrant by this point.

    Slowly pour in the warm milk, while whisking constantly to make sure that no lumps form. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook until rava is completely cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed.

    Step by step photos showing the addition of milk, sugar and cardamom

    Add the sugar and mix well. The halwa will get liquidy first and will thicken in a few minutes. Stir in ground cardamom and the fried cashews, almonds & raisins. Mix well and turn off the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Tips

    • Use a combination of water and milk for a lighter dessert. Or use just water to make it dairy-free or use almond or oat milk to make it vegan.
    • Ghee can be subbed with vegan butter to make this 100% vegan dessert.
    • I recommend using fine wheat rava for this recipe. But you can also use medium-coarse variety, if you can't find it.
    • Fine bulgur is an acceptable substitute.
    • Adjust the amount of sugar as per your taste preference. Typically the same amount of sugar as rava is added. But feel free to use less if you don't like it too sweet.
    • To ensure that the rava kesari is creamy, add warm milk or water and whisk well. Also cooking on medium-low flame helps to keep the consistency smooth.
    • If the halwa seems too dry after cooking, then add ¼ cup of warm milk or water and cook for 1~2 more minutes.
    • For added flavor, add a pinch of saffron and mix well.
    Hand holding a burgundy tray with a bowl of sooji halwa

    Few more South Indian recipes to try

    • Rava dosa with onion chutney
    • Kobbari paramannam (coconut rice pudding)
    • Lemon Rasam
    • Simple South Indian vegetarian thali
    • Paravannam (South Indian rice pudding)
    • Poha dosa
    Rava Kesari

    I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.

    Burgundy tray with a bowl of kesaribath

    Rava Kesari (Godhuma rawa Kesari)

    Creamy and delicious rava kesari made with wheat rava and milk. A perfect dessert to make during festivals or for any special occasion.
    Author: Pavani
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: south indian
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons Ghee
    • 1 tablespoon Cashews
    • 1 tablespoon Raisins
    • ½ cup Wheat Rava/ Dalia
    • 1½ cups Warm Milk*
    • ⅓~½ cup Sugar
    • ½ tsp Ground Cardamom

    Instructions

    • Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan; fry the cashews and raisins until golden. Remove into a bowl and set aside.
    • In the same pan, heat the remaining ghee in the same pan on medium heat; add the wheat rava and cook it until golden, about 3~4 minutes.
    • Slowly pour in the warm milk, while whisking constantly to make sure that no lumps form. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook until rava is completely cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed.
    • Add the sugar and mix well. The halwa will get liquidy first and will thicken in a few minutes. Stir in ground cardamom and the fried cashews/ almonds & raisins, mix well and turn off the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Notes

    • Use a combination of water and milk for a lighter dessert. Or use just water to make it dairy-free or use almond or oat milk to make it vegan.
    • Ghee can be subbed with vegan butter to make this 100% vegan dessert.
    • I recommend using fine wheat rava for this recipe. But you can also use medium-coarse variety, if you can't find it.
    • Fine bulgur is an acceptable substitute.
    • Adjust the amount of sugar as per your taste preference. Typically the same amount of sugar as rava is added. But feel free to use less if you don't like it too sweet.
    • To ensure that the halwa is creamy, add warm milk or water and whisk well. Also cooking on medium-low flame helps to keep the consistency smooth.
    • If the halwa seems too dry after cooking, then add ¼ cup of warm milk or water and cook for 1~2 more minutes.
    • For added flavor, add a pinch of saffron and mix well.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 185kcal
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cooks_hideout or tag #cookshideout!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Suma Gandlur

      August 14, 2014 at 2:59 am

      Looks yummy. Godhuma rava adds a healthy touch to the traditional sweet dish.

      Reply
    2. Srivalli

      August 14, 2014 at 5:18 am

      Looks very colourful Pavani...nice setup..

      Reply
    3. Srividhya Gopalakrishnan

      August 14, 2014 at 5:21 am

      My favorite.. nice presentation yaar.

      Reply
    4. Priya Suresh

      August 14, 2014 at 4:30 pm

      I rarely make kesari with godhuma rava, urs tempting me a lot..

      Reply
    5. Varadas Kitchen

      August 16, 2014 at 7:31 pm

      One of our favorites.

      Reply
    6. Nalini's Kitchen

      August 18, 2014 at 6:22 pm

      Nice variation from regular rava kesari,tempting and delicious kesari.

      Reply
    7. Global Tastes & Travels Inc.

      August 23, 2014 at 2:05 am

      reminds me a bit of lapsi. Is he lactose intolerant..otherwise why is he so ilk phobic 🙂

      Reply
    8. Global Tastes & Travels Inc.

      August 23, 2014 at 2:05 am

      reminds me a bit of lapsi. Is he lactose intolerant..otherwise why is he so ilk phobic 🙂

      Reply
    9. harsha vardhani

      July 03, 2016 at 5:33 am

      Awesome and simple way of explain in the site.try it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUmVbuzzbD4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWVPgx3cXNs

      Reply
    10. Desicart

      October 19, 2020 at 12:55 am

      5 stars
      Yum! This looks so delicious and tasty!

      Reply
    11. Chef Mireille

      October 31, 2020 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      what a healthy and quick recipe to put together. this is great option for snack time especially now that we are indoors so much you dont want heavy and fattening snacks.

      Reply
    12. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

      November 08, 2020 at 10:24 am

      5 stars
      I love the godhuma rawa kesari and tried using milk as per you recipe. Turned out so creamy and delicious. I usually make it with just water, but liked this version 🙂

      Reply
    13. Usha Rao

      November 10, 2020 at 6:13 am

      5 stars
      I usually make it sooji and sometimes add some milk. I followed this recipe. Used fine wheat rava and milk instead of water. It was creamy and really tasty. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

      Reply

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