kesari means 'orange' colour in Kannada and bhat is the Marathi word for rice.In northern parts of karnatak kesari bhat means a sweet rice unlike the rava kesari or the sooji halva.This sweet is considered one of the PAKWANNAS. I am presenting this on the occasion of Durgashtami one of the holy days of NAVARATRI FESTIVAL.
ingredients:
1/2 cup Basmati rice( I used Royal brand here)
3/4 cup water to cook the rice.
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water to make the sugar syrup
1 tsp pure ghee
4 cloves cloves
few cashews and raisins
1 cardamom
1/4 tsp saffron strands.
Method:
thoroughly wash the rice and cook the rice.Let it cool and separate the grains with a fork.
heat a vessel and add ghee.add cloves,cashews,raisins and cardamom and fry to get golden colour.
add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar and the saffron strands. Let sugar dissolve in the water and cook for another minute or so.
add the cooked and cooled rice and gently mix well.
cover and steam for few minutes taking care not to scorch the bottom.
aromatic Kesari bhat is ready to enjoy!
In this recipe even though I have used cardamoms the fragrance of saffrons overpowered the cardamom. I did not bother to get the perfect orange colour by adding artificial food colours. i am very much happy with the natural colour of the saffron.
