A quick and aromatic sweet prepared with ripe jackfruit, ghee, and semolina, often served as prasadam or festive dessert.
Tropical Sweetness: How to Make Exotic Jackfruit Kesari
When jackfruit season hits its peak, the air in India is filled with its unmistakable, honey-like aroma. While many enjoy the fruit fresh or in savory curries, there is an “exotic” way to transform these golden arils into a dessert that will steal the show at any dinner party: Jackfruit Kesari.
In a popular episode of the HomeCookingShow, host Hema Subramanian shares a brilliant twist on the classic South Indian Kesari Bath. By swapping artificial food coloring for the natural hue of jackfruit and saffron, this recipe creates a dessert that is as beautiful as it is delicious.
What is Jackfruit Kesari?
Traditional Kesari is a semolina (rava) based pudding, usually flavored with cardamom and colored bright orange. This version upgrades the classic by incorporating fresh ripe jackfruit in two ways: as a smooth puree for deep flavor and as finely chopped bits for a delightful, chewy texture.
The Ingredient Checklist
- Fresh Ripe Jackfruit: 12–15 arils (sweet and plumpy are best).
- Suji Rava (Semolina): 1/2 cup.
- Sugar: 1 cup (adjust based on the sweetness of your fruit).
- Ghee: 4–5 tablespoons (don’t be shy; ghee provides the signature gloss).
- Natural Aromatics: 1 tsp Cardamom powder and 1 tbsp Saffron water
- The Crunch: Cashew nuts and raisins.
The Step-by-Step Guide
- Prep the Fruit
Start by deseeding your jackfruit arils. Here is the secret to the perfect texture: Divide the pulp. Take half of the fruit and grind it into a fine, silky paste. Finely chop the remaining half into small cubes. This ensures every bite of Kesari has both intense fruit flavor and “bursts” of real fruit.
- The Golden Roast
Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a large kadai. Roast your cashews until golden brown and your raisins until they plump up like little balloons. Remove them and, in the same ghee-coated pan, lightly toast your suji rava. Set these aside.
- Saute the Puree
Add another tablespoon of ghee and sauté your jackfruit paste. This step is crucial cooking the raw fruit paste in ghee removes any “raw” edge and concentrates the natural sugars, making the flavor much more “exotic.”
- Build the Base
Add the chopped fruit pieces and 2 cups of water to the pan. Season with cardamom powder and your saffron water. The saffron acts as a natural dye, complementing the yellow of the jackfruit perfectly. Bring this to a boil.
- Combine and Cook
Slowly pour in the roasted rava, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
The Pro Tip: Wait until the rava is fully cooked and soft before adding the sugar. If you add sugar too early, the rava will stay grainy and won’t cook through!
- The Glossy Finish
Once the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens, fold in your roasted nuts, raisins, and the final “glossy” tablespoon of ghee. Turn off the heat when the Kesari starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Why This Recipe Works
Unlike standard store-bought sweets, Jackfruit Kesari relies on the natural creaminess of the fruit. It’s a wonderful way to use seasonal produce and offers a more complex flavor profile floral, fruity, and buttery than a plain semolina sweet.
Serving Suggestion: This dessert is best served warm to fully appreciate the aroma of the melted ghee and jackfruit. However, it also sets beautifully at room temperature if you prefer to slice it into squares.
