Cut Pineapple, discard the outer skin and core. Chop the flesh into small cubes and keep it aside. Retain the dripping juice to cook the pineapple. Canned pineapple works as well.
Heat ghee and oil in a pan. ( Oil is optional, avoids lumping and helps to retain soft, smooth texture and consistency for long time)
Roast cashews until golden on all sides. Remove just the fried cashews and retain the ghee and oil in the pan. Raisins can be fried along at this stage if desired! This is a fruit kesari and will have tiny bits fruits chunks, adding raisins will over power the taste, hence avoiding it.
Now roast the rava in the same pan with the leftover ghee and oil for 5 minutes over low medium flame or until it turns aromatic.
In a pan, heat 1/4 cup water and add the pineapple pieces along with 2 tablespoon of sugar. (You may use pineapple juice instead of water)
Bring it to a boil and cook the pineapple pieces in it for 3 to 4 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.
Now add one cup of water that we reserved for cooking the rava.
Add food color at this stage and bring it a light boil.
When it starts to boil, add roasted rava and cook over low flame until all water is absorbed. As soon as you add rava, it will have a small whitish speck in the center and this will disappear as you cook. That is one indication that your rava is cooked thoroughly!
Add sugar along with salt and cardamom powder and mix well. The sugar will melt and turn the mixture a little watery.
Again, cook until all the sugar syrup is absorbed. Stir constantly to avoid lumps and cook until it turns thick.
Add roasted cashews and ghee at this stage. Cook for few minutes and turn it off!
If adding pineapple essence you may do so add at this stage and mix well.
Serve warm!
Video
Notes
Saffron, raisins and any other toasted nuts are optional.
Adding little oil will help to keep the kesari to attain a soft texture. Also will hold it that way for a long time.
A pinch of salt will always kindle the sweet flavor.
Usually is 1:2 ratio rava water measure but if the pineapple is not juicy then add 1/4 cup extra.
Fresh pineapple chunks are being used for this recipe, you can also use canned pineapple along with the juice for this recipe.