Elakkai Badam paal rava kesari is a rich cardamom flavoured almond and semolina pudding. Made for festivals and celebrations alike.
The next month Ugadi (and the start of the Kannada / Telugu new year), we are gearing up festival preps are going on at home. I had posted an entire Ugadi thali along with Obbattu (dal Poli) here and here. We also make this for Basant Panchami where yellow coloured foods are offered to Goddess Saraswati.
.. and then some nostalgia 🙂
In the midst of all this, I suddenly miss my pati (maternal grandmom) a lot. A fiercely gusty lady, she’s been a beacon for many dishes on this blog – Thenkuzhal, Moong Dal Payasam, Seedai, Mosaru Avalakki (Poha in curd), Jaggery Poha, Karjikai /Karigadubu (somas), Dhaniya Kuzhambu, Vellarikai Khara Pachadi (Cucumber based relish), Paruppu Urundai Kozhambu (steamed lentil balls in a spicy tangy gravy), Uppu Sajjige (a semolina based satvik porridge, eaten for Ekadasi) and so many many more
And I remember her making this extra flavourful Paal Kesaribhath (as we call kesari back home) for most festivals as “Amsai” or “Naivdedyam” to the Lord before her daily pooja , and even when guests dropped in unexpected. It was redulant with aroma as she used to roast cardamom and then add to the kesari.
So what is Elakkai Badam Paal Kesari then ?
So, Elakkai = cardamom, Paal = milk in Tamil. Which made perfect sense for me to post this not just for the festival approaching, but as a keepsake of lovely memories. And considering the hubby (who doesn’t eat sweets) polished it off with the girls, it means I did something good 🙂
Other festival sweets you might like on the blog:
PIN FOR LATER
Prep time – 10 mins, Cook time – 20 mins, Makes – 1 cup of heavenly Kesari 🙂
PIN FOR LATER
Ingredients to make Elakkai Badam Paal Kesari:
- 1/2 cup Fine Semolina (Baarik Sooji / Chiroti Rava)
- 3 TBSP homemade ghee
- 2/3 cup Sugar (powdered)
- 2 cups Milk
- 3 TBSP Homemade Badam Milk Powder
- 2 Cardamoms
- 5 strands of saffron
- 1 pinch Food colour (totally optional)
- 1/4 pinch Salt
- 4 roasted Almonds (sliced thin)
How to make Elakkai Badaami Pal Kesari
- In a non stick pan, roast the whole green cardamoms for 30 seconds or till warm. Peel, pound them in a mortar pestle and keep aside. Soak the saffron in 2 tsp of warm milk
- Add ghee to the same pan (about 1 TBSP), roast the sliced almonds till golden brown and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add rava and roast slowly on low heat for 2~3 mins till aromatic, taking care not to burn it. Remove to a plate and let it cool completely.
- Return the pan to the stove, and add the milk, let it come to a rolling boil, add the badam milk powder, cardamom now and soaked saffron strands. Slowly add the roasted sooji, and whisk your way till you get a porridge kind of consistency.
- Cover and cook for 6 mins. Now add sugar and as the dish slowly starts moving around, add the food colour (if using), salt and the rest of the ghee.
- Cover again and cook for 2 mins till its fully done.
- Serve warm, topped with some saffron and / or roasted almonds.
Elakkai Badam Paal Rava Kesari, and a bit of nostalgia | Festival Recipes
Equipment
- Thick Bottomed Pan
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Fine Semolina Baarik Sooji / Chiroti Rava
- 3 TBSP ghee homemade
- 2/3 cup Sugar powdered
- 2 cups Milk
- 3 TBSP Homemade Badam Milk Powder
- 2 Cardamoms
- 5 strands of saffron
- 1 pinch Food colour totally optional
- 1/4 pinch Salt
- 4 Almonds sliced thin
Instructions
- In a non stick pan, roast the whole green cardamoms for 30 seconds or till warm.
- Peel, pound them in a mortar pestle and keep aside.
- Soak the saffron in 2 tsp of warm milk
- Add ghee to the same pan (about 1 TBSP), roast the sliced almonds till golden brown and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add rava and roast slowly on low heat for 2~3 mins till aromatic, taking care not to burn it. Remove to a plate and let it cool completely.
- Return the pan to the stove, and add the milk, let it come to a rolling boil, add the badam milk powder, cardamom now and soaked saffron strands.
- Slowly add the roasted sooji, and whisk your way till you get a porridge kind of consistency.
- Cover and cook for 6 mins. Now add sugar and as the dish slowly starts moving around, add the food colour (if using), salt and the rest of the ghee.
- Cover again and cook for 2 mins till its fully done.
- Serve warm, topped with some saffron and / or roasted almonds.
Notes
- Roast the semolina well on low flame. cool and use.
- If you dont have fine sooji, use normal sooji / semolina / bombay rava / Upma rava, pulse it for a few seconds, sieve and then use
- Quantity of Ghee of 3 TBSP is totally a personal choice and it worked for us. IF you want, you can add more. Anything lesser will make the Kesari lumpy.
- Soak the saffron in warm milk before using.
- Roast the cardamom on low flame, just till it releases a sweetish aroma, pound fine. Usually, I roast the cardamom and powder it with the sugar to trap the aroma better.
Oh my , this looks so yummy. Just drooling over that bowl. Such a wonderful treat as prasad or even when guest comes around.
Festival Greetings ! Wow ! All I can say is – I am drooling ! What a perfect dish for the occasion ! Looks yum and sinful .
Wow.. Too delicious and tempting that single bowl.. Im gonna make this for me soon!!
The kesari looks very festive. The addition of milk, badam powder and of course grandma's memories makes it extra special.
Wow! Perfect for a festivals, right? Love the flavorful kesari.
That's a fantastic dish Kalyani. Our grandmoms dishes are always a hit right, good one!
Please pass that bowl Kalyani. The kesari looks fabulous and a perfect sweet for any celebration. Milks adds so much richness to the already rich kesari.
Awesome dish Kalyani. Perfect for festivals.
Hope you had a great Ugadi Kalyani. Traditional family recipes are always great and thanks for sharing. That looks delicious.
So lovely to read about your grandmother. Festive times are when we miss them the most. Love this variation of the classic rava kesari. Yum yum!
Loved how you have used badam milk powder in halwa.. looks so delish. I appreciate Kalyani how fondly you remember your grandmom keeping her alive though your food and posts..
The Elakkai badam kesari is a delightful naivedyum perfect to make for any festival. I loved that you have added badam milk powder to flavour the kesari.
yes, the badam milk powder is a delightful addition here, Seema 🙂
Semolina halwa prepared with milk is the traditional way we do in Gujarat and call it sheero. Love it and make it often as an offering to God. As prasadam always takes soo good.
oh nice to know that Sheero is similar, Mayuri.
Love the title kalyani, elakkai badam paal kesari! True good food has great memories. Kesari looks absolute delight and addition of badam milk powder is super idea, such a simple dish, elevated to another level!
title was my pati’s, priya 🙂 yes the humble badam pal powder elevates this naivedyam
Elakkai Badam Paal looks so delicious and heavenly. Looks so apt for prasad. Adding badam powder to the milk is my takeaway from this wonderful post. I will try to make in this similar way whenever I make rava kesari .
thanks so much, Neha. Do try using the badam powder next time 🙂
Grandmothers are the best cooks. I love this delicious elakki paal eava kesri. I never add badam milk powder that is an awesome idea. Thanks.
yes, grandmoms rock 🙂 try this hack next time
Wow love this, it is something like sooji ka halwa. Love the addition of badam milk powder
yes it is, thank you
Hey thanks for this recipe. I had totally forgotten about this. Amma would make it the same way as paati and I simply loved it.tried to replicate a few times ,but I was missing on the badam powder, now I know where I failed 🙂
oh so nice to know that!