Pineapple Kesari, a variation of the very popular, almost omnipresent Kesari which is a sweet dish, also had breakfast all across South India. Essentially made with cream of wheat (semolina/rava/sooji), this one also has added flavors of the yummy, tangy fruit pineapple along with green cardamom powder and dry fruits. It is delicious, smooth, silky and quite an easy recipe for keeps.
Table of Contents
More On Pineapple Kesari
Kesari is the South Indian variation of the North Indian Suji Halwa and the rava sheera, which is popular in the western parts of India. It is a pudding like dessert or sweet dish with rava (sooji) being the main ingredient and is very popular during festive occasions too.
The first time I tried this very fruity version of the Pineapple Kesari was on Basant Panchami, the Indian spring festival. Since, many Indian Hindu households prepare yellow-colored sweet dishes on this day, I made this halwa with pineapple. I also often make the sweet saffron rice on this day.
The color yellow signifies the color of spring. Maa Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, learning, wisdom, art and creativity, is also worshipped on this auspicious day. This sheera is also a preferred choice as it is one of those sweet dishes which is quick and easy to prepare. Doesn’t take hours and hours to make it.
In addition to this Pineapple Kesari, I also have other versions of the kesari like the Fruit Kesari (with mixed fruits like apple, pear, pineapple, banana and pomegranate), Mango Kesari (with fresh mango) and the Semiya Kesari (with rice semiya/vermicelli).
Since ghee is added in this recipe, I would suggest to serve the Pineapple Kesari or Pineapple Sheera hot or warm. Otherwise, the ghee solidifies and you get a grainy texture from the ghee in the kesari. In this case, just warm the kesari in microwave or in a pan before serving.
Also, if you like to begin your day on a sweet note, make this Pineapple Halwa for breakfast. You can also serve it as a dessert after your meals.
How to make Pineapple Kesari
Cook Pineapple with Water
1. First, peel and chop fresh sweet, pineapple into small cubes and set aside. From 4 pineapple slices, I got ¾ cup chopped pineapple cubes.
2. In a pan or saucepan, take the ¾ cup chopped pineapple, 1.5 cups water and ½ cup sugar.
3. Usually, color is added to Pineapple Kesari. Since I don’t use any synthetic colors in food, I have used a natural yellow color extract to give a yellow color to the kesari. You can also add about 10 to 12 strands of saffron to get a yellow color.
4. Add a drop of the color, if using or add crushed saffron strands. You can also add pineapple essence to give a dominant pineapple flavor.
5. Stir and keep this pan on the stovetop and bring to a boil on medium-low to medium heat. Stir this mixture while heating, so that the sugar dissolves.
Roast Rava
6. Meanwhile, in pan or kadai, take 4 tablespoons ghee. Keep the heat to a low and let the ghee melt.
7. Then, add 12 to 15 cashews.
8. Stir and add ½ cup cream of wheat (rava or sooji). Here, I have used the fine variety of rava.
9. Stir and combine evenly with the melted ghee.
10. Then, add ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder and stir.
11. Stir and sauté the rava till the cashews turn a light golden and you see ghee releasing from the sides. The color of the rava granules will also change.
This takes about 4 to 5 minutes on low to medium-low heat. Keep stirring non-stop, so the rava does not get browned or burnt.
12. By this time, the pineapple-water mixture would also begin to boil.
Make Pineapple Kesari
13. Pour the pineapple-water mixture to the pan with the roasted rava. Be careful as the mixture splutters.
14. Stir quickly and briskly so that lumps are not formed.
15. Simmer on low heat and allow the rava to absorb the water.
16. Add 1 tablespoon raisins.
17. Stir and mix well.
18. In just about 4 minutes, the rava will soften up and the kesari will be done. You should not see any creamish specks in the kesari. This means that the rava has not cooked properly.
If you want to slice Pineapple Halwa like a barfi or serve them like I have done, then pour the hot mixture in a tray or in small to medium tart moulds. Press with a spatula to even. Once warm, slice or unmold them.
19. Garnish with pineapple cubes, fried cashews and serve Pineapple Kesari hot or warm.
Expert Tips
- You can also use tinned pineapple slices to make this Pineapple Sheera. While using tinned pineapple, no need to boil them in water. Just add directly to the rava when you add the hot sugar syrup.
- To make the color more prominent in this kesari, add 1 to 2 drops of natural yellow color extract or about 10 to 12 strands of saffron, crushed.
- Make the fruity pineapple flavor more dominant in the Pineapple Halwa by adding 1 to 2 drops of pineapple essence in the recipe.
- Once the Pineapple Sheera is cooked well, you should not see any creamish specks in it. If there are such specks, it means that the rava has not cooked properly.
- If you want to slice the kesari, then pour the hot kesari in a baking tray and press with a spatula to even. Once warm, slice and serve like a mithai.
- You can double this Pineapple Halwa recipe without any hassle.
More Halwa Recipes To Try!
Sweets Recipes
Halwa Recipe
Halwa Recipe
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Pineapple Kesari | Pineapple Halwa | Pineapple Sheera
Ingredients
- ½ cup rava finer variety and unroasted, (sooji or cream of wheat) – 120 grams
- ½ cup sugar or add as required
- 1.5 cups water
- 4 tablespoons Ghee
- 12 to 15 cashews
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- ¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder or 2 to 3 green cardamoms crushed in a mortar-pestle
- ¾ cup chopped pineapple or 3 to 4 pineapple slices cut in ½ inch cubes
- 1 to 2 tablespoon chopped pineapple – for garnish, optional
- 1 to 2 drops natural yellow food color or 10 to 12 strands of saffron, optional
- 1 to 2 drops pineapple essence – optional
Instructions
Cooking pineapple with water
- First chop the pineapple in small cubes and set aside.
- In a pan or saucepan, take the chopped pineapple cubes, 1.5 cups water and ½ cup sugar.
- Add one or two drops of the natural yellow color extract. You can also add about 10 to 12 strands of saffron to get a yellow color. You can also add pineapple essence for a dominant pineapple flavor.
- Stir well and keep this pan on the stovetop and bring to a boil. While simmering, do stir so that the sugar dissolves.
Roasting rava
- Meanwhile, in another pan or kadai take 4 tablespoons ghee and heat it on a low flame. Let the ghee melt.
- Add 12 to 15 cashews.
- Stir and add rava (sooji). Mix very well. Then add ¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder and stir to mix
- Stir often and roast the rava till the cashews turn a light golden and you see ghee releasing from the sides. The color of the rava will also change.This takes about 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium-low heat. Keep on stirring, so the rava does not get browned.
- By this time, the pineapple + water mixture would also begin to boil.
Making pineapple kesari
- Pour the hot pineapple and water mixture to the pan with the roasted sooji.
- Stir quickly and briskly so that lumps are not formed.
- Simmer on a low heat and allow the sooji to absorb the water.
- Add raisins. Mix again.
- In just about 4 minutes, the rava will soften up and the pineapple halwa is done. You should not see any creamish specks on the kesari. This means that the rava has not cooked properly.
- Serve pineapple kesari hot as it is or garnished with some pineapple cubes.
Notes
- Make sure to use pineapple which are sweet tasting.
- The recipe can be halved or doubled.
- You can also use tinned pineapple slices. But while using tinned pineapple slices, no need to boil them in water. Just add them directly when you add the hot bubbling sugar syrup to the roasted rava.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Pineapple Kesari recipe from the archives first published in January 2015 has been republished and updated on November 2022.
