Pineapple Kesari, also known as Sheera is a simple Indian semolina pudding, made with basic ingredients – semolina, sugar, ghee and caramelized pineapple. This recipe tastes simply divine, and you can make in no time!
It comes out deliciously sweet, soft, fluffy and rich every time and always sure to satisfy the sweet tooth.
WHAT IS SHEERA?
Sheera or Kesari makes a perfect last minute sweet for special occasions and to offer to the God on festivals. It uses few basic ingredients that are commonly found in most Indian kitchens – semolina, sugar, ghee and cardamom. Sometimes milk is used instead of water to cook sheera, nuts and raisins are added as garnish.
In northern parts of India, it is called halwa. While in the western part of India, it is called sheera. While in south India, it is called kesari. Different names, same method and taste.
Pineapple sheera or kesari is a sweet or dessert made from semolina, sugar, ghee and pineapple (caramelized).
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED?
Sooji (Semolina or rava): For making halwa or sheera, I prefer to use fine semolina. But if you have coarse one available in your pantry, no worries use that.
Ghee (Clarified butter): This is essential to make rich and perfect textured sheera. Please do not reduce the amount of ghee used here.
Pineapple: For making this halwa, I have caramelized the pineapple for nice flavor. Chopped pineapple provides some texture and you will have juicy bites here and there.
Sugar: White sugar is used here.
Saffron: It gives nice bright yellow color to the halwa. Along with saffron, pineapple puree also plays a role in getting a nice color. Instead of saffron, you can use a few drops of yellow or orange food color.
Cardamom: It gives nice flavor for the sheera.
Nuts: I have used almonds, Cashew, Pistachios and Raisin in this recipe. You can use any nuts of your choice.
HOW TO MAKE PINEAPPLE SHEERA/KESARI?
Sprinkle sugar on both sides of the pineapple slices and grill in a pan on medium flame. Allow to caramelize on both sides. Caramelizing the pineapple added nice flavor to the sheera.
Once cooled down chop the caramelized pineapple into smaller chunks.
Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and fry the chopped nuts until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
In a same pan add a tbsp of ghee and roast the rava on medium heat until aromatic and little golden brown in colour. Remove to a plate and set aside.
In a deep pan, add water, caramelized pineapple, saffron and cardamom, bring to boil.
Add the roasted semolina, and stir continuously to avoid forming lumps. Allow to cook 5 minutes on medium flame.
Add sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Once the sugar dissolves, add the 1/4 cup ghee in batches and stir well. Once it is done the sheera will leaves the pan and ghee starts to separate. Then add the roasted nuts and mix well.
Pineapple sheera is ready to serve and serve hot with roasted nuts.
CAN WE USE CANNED PINEAPPLE IN THIS RECIPE?
Although canned pineapple are super convinient, I would highly recommend using fresh pineapple for this recipe.
HOW TO SERVE ?
Pineapple sheera is best served hot or warm. If you like a sweet breakfast, you can also make kesari for breakfast. You can also serve it as a dessert after your meal.
HOW LONG CAN I STORE IN REFRIGERATOR?
Store them in a proper container and refrigerate for 3 days!
PINEAPPLE SHEERA OR SHEERO OR KESARI RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
For Caramelizing:
5 Pineapple Slices
2 tbsp Sugar
For Kesari/Sheera:
1/2 cup Semolina
1/3 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Ghee, divided
1/4 cup Nuts, chopped
10 strands Saffron
2 Cardamom, powdered
DIRECTIONS:
- Sprinkle sugar on both sides of the pineapple slices and grill in a pan on medium flame. Allow to caramelize on both sides. Caramelizing the pineapple added nice flavor to the sheera.
- Once cooled down chop the caramelized pineapple into smaller chunks.
- Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and fry the chopped nuts until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
- In a same pan add a tbsp of ghee and roast the rava on medium heat until aromatic and little golden brown in colour. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- In a deep pan, add water, caramelized pineapple, saffron and cardamom, bring to boil.
- Add the roasted semolina, and stir continuously to avoid forming lumps. Allow to cook 5 minutes on medium flame.
- Add sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Once the sugar dissolves, add the 1/4 cup ghee in batches and stir well. Once it is done the sheera will leaves the pan and ghee starts to separate. Then add the roasted nuts and mix well.
- Pineapple sheera is ready to serve and serve hot with roasted nuts.
RECIPE NOTES:
- Don’t reduces the amount of ghee, the best tasting sheera is usually made of a lot of ghee.
- Get a good quality fine rava to get the right consistency. Nowadays roasted Rava is available in the market. So that you can skip the step to roast them.
- To avoid lumps, first lower the heat, then add Rava while you stir on the other hand. That helps you to avoid lumps.
- Add sugar only when the Rava is half cooked otherwise the Rava will not be cooked thoroughly.
- To make soft and mushy sheera the semolina : water ratio to be used is 1:3, you may use only water (1-1/2 cups) or 1 cup water and 1/2 cup milk if you like it a little rich.
- You can use any nuts of your choice in this recipe.
- Chopped caramelized pineapple provides some texture and you will have juicy bites here and there.
- Always use ripe and sweet pineapple. Taste your pineapple first and accordingly adjust the sugar quantity.
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