Kitchen Tantra

Gothumai Kesari:

Cracked Wheat Kesari. Gothumai Rawai Kesari. Gothumai ravai pongal. Cream of wheat Halwa.

Ingredients:

Cracked wheat 1 cup
Whole milk 2-3 cups
Sugar 3/4 cup
Cardamom pods 3-5 crushed
Cashewnuts 10 halved
Raisins/dry grapes - 15
Ghee 1 cup.

Method:

In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat few spoons of ghee. Toast cracked wheat till fragrant. Then transfer it to a bowl. Set aside.

In the same pan, heat 1/2 cup of ghee. Fry cashew nuts till golden color. Set this aside too.

Add raisins and fry them...till they pop well. Then set this aside too.

Throw away the fried ghee. Rinse the vessel.....then reheat it.

Add sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring this to boil. Now add cardamom seeds powder to it. Let this sugar solution turn to nice syrup like condition.

Now stir-in toasted cracked wheat. Cover and cook. When it absorbs almost all moisture...add 2-3 cups of milk and cook. Maintain the stove over medum heat.

When it is almost done...stir-in remaining ghee, fried nuts and raisins. Mix them well.

When oil shows up on sides and wheat is done...transfer it to display vessel.

Serve chilled as a dessert!

Labels: Halwa, Sweets