In today’s post,  I’m showing you how to make soft, glossy Pineapple Kesari (also called Pineapple Sheera) — a popular South Indian sweet made for weddings and special occasions. This recipe is simple, quick, and bursting with pineapple flavor. Try it at home and tell me in the comments how it turned out!

Serves: 4–6

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20–25 minutes
Total: 30–35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup rava / sooji (semolina)
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (about 1 small pineapple)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
• 3–4 tbsp ghee (plus 1 tsp for finishing) — add in intervals
• 10 cashews
• 10 raisins (optional)
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• A pinch of yellow or orange food color (optional)
• 1 tsp ghee (to roast pineapple; included above in total)

Step-by-step method

1. Prep: Measure ingredients and chop pineapple into small, bite-sized pieces. Keep everything ready — once rava goes in, it cooks fast.
2. Roast nuts & raisins: Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan on medium heat. Add 10 cashews and 10 raisins. Roast until golden; remove and set aside.
3. Roast rava: In the same pan (add a little more ghee if needed), add 1 cup rava. Roast on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes slightly golden and aromatic (about 4–5 minutes). Remove and keep aside.
4. Lightly cook pineapple: Add 1 tsp ghee to the pan, add 1 cup chopped pineapple, and sauté until they are about ¼ cooked (softened but still holding shape) — around 2–3 minutes.
5. Make the sugar water: Add 3 cups water, 1 cup sugar, ¼ tsp cardamom powder, and a pinch of food color (optional) to the pineapple. Bring to a boil and let the sugar dissolve completely.
6. Add rava slowly: Reduce flame to low. Slowly sprinkle the roasted rava into the boiling pineapple-sugar water while stirring continuously and gently to avoid lumps. Don’t pour all at once.
7. Cook until thick: Keep stirring gently. As it thickens (about 5–8 minutes), add ghee in small intervals — total 3–4 tbsp throughout the cooking — this makes the kesari glossy and soft. Cook till rava absorbs the water and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
8. Finish: Stir in the roasted cashews and raisins. Check sweetness; adjust if needed. Switch off the flame. Add 1 tsp ghee on top and spread it.
9. Rest & serve: Let it sit for 10–15 minutes (this helps set texture). Serve warm on a plate or bowl.

Tips

• Roast rava until lightly golden — raw rava gives a raw taste and lumps.
• Use fresh pineapple for best flavor; canned pineapple works but reduce any added syrup.
• For vegan version use oil instead of ghee (texture will differ).
• If lumps form, whisk a little warm water separately, add slowly and stir to smooth.
• Adjust sugar if your pineapple is very sweet — start with ¾ cup and taste.