Pineapple Kesari, a Melt-in-Your-Mouth Indian Dessert, Comes Together in Minutes

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This creamy, semolina-based dessert is flavored with saffron and pineapple and studded with raisins and cashews.

Vijay Kumar

Published on November 3, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Pineapple Kesari — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 25 mins

Yield:

10 to 12 servings

This recipe for kesari, a semolina-based, lightly sweetened Indian dessert, is one that was used by Vijay Kumar of Semma restaurant in New York City to make kesari for TV host Padma Lakshmi’s Diwali party.

Kumar’s kesari are infused with saffron and pineapple, a combination that imparts a rich golden color, floral aroma, and balanced acidic and earthy notes. The dessert may look dense, but the creamy, bite-size treat melts in your mouth and is speckled with toasted cashews and raisins for a crunchy and chewy texture.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between sooji and rava?

Sooji and rava are in fact the same thing — semolina. Sooji is the word used for semolina in North India and Pakistan while rava is the word used for semolina in South India.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Find sooji or rava at Indian grocery stores or online.

Make ahead

The kesari can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ingredients

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
7 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons ghee, divided
2 tablespoons raw whole cashews, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons golden raisins
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1 1/2 cups water, divided
1/2 cup regular (not fine) sooji or rava (semolina)
Cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions

Stir together pineapple and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl until pineapple releases juices. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 1 1/2 teaspoons ghee in a medium skillet over medium. Add cashews and raisins, and cook, stirring constantly, until cashews are light golden and raisins are plump, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cashew mixture to a small bowl, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
Stir together saffron and 1/4 cup water in a separate small bowl; let bloom 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon ghee to cleaned skillet, and melt over medium. Add sooji; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; scrape mixture into a small bowl.
Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Set aside. Pour saffron mixture into a small saucepan; add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1 1/4 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Stir in pineapple mixture. Return to a boil over medium. Boil pineapple mixture, undisturbed, 30 seconds. Stir in salt. Reduce heat to low. Stir in toasted sooji; cook, stirring constantly, until water is fully absorbed and mixture is very thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cardamom, cashew mixture, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons ghee. Remove from heat.
Spread sooji mixture evenly in prepared pan. Place another piece of plastic wrap directly on surface, and press mixture to form a flat, even layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Remove and discard top piece of plastic wrap; invert kesari onto a clean work surface. Unwrap kesari, and discard plastic wrap. Cut into 1-inch squares. Arrange on a platter, and serve.