Kesari Bath

Ingredients

• 160 g fine rava (semolina)
• 200 g sugar
• 625 ml water
• 6 tbsp ghee
• 3 tbsp cashews
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
• a good pinch of saffron strands
• a pinch of orange food colour (optional)

Before you cook

• Crush the saffron between your fingers and stir it into 2 tablespoons of warm water.
• Measure the sugar and water out into separate jugs so both are ready to go in fast.

Steps

1. Heat two tablespoons of the ghee in a heavy pan over medium heat and fry the cashews until golden.
2. Add the raisins and fry for twenty seconds, until they puff up, then lift both out with a slotted spoon.
3. Add three more tablespoons of ghee to the pan and tip in the rava.
4. Roast the rava on low heat for eight minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and the grains move freely in the ghee.
5. Scrape the roasted rava into a bowl.
6. Pour the water into the same pan, add the saffron water and the colour, if using, and bring it to a rolling boil.
7. Lower the heat and rain the rava into the boiling water in a thin stream, stirring hard the whole time.
8. Cook for three minutes, stirring, until the rava has drunk up the water and thickened.
9. Add the sugar all at once and keep stirring; the mixture will loosen and turn glossy.
10. Cook for five minutes more, stirring, until it thickens again and begins to leave the sides of the pan.
11. Stir in the cardamom, the last tablespoon of ghee and the fried cashews and raisins.
12. Cook for one final minute, until the ghee glistens around the edge of the pan.
13. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let the kesari bath rest for five minutes before serving warm.