(Sooji Ka Halwa, Rava Halwa, Fruit & Nut Kesari, Sheera)

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Ingredients
Semolina (Rava/ Sooji/ Farina) - 1 cup
Ghee/ Butter - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tblsp + 2 tblsp (for roasting the rava and toasting the nuts)
Sugar - 1 cup (add more if you like it sweeter)
Salt - a pinch
Cashews/Almonds - 10 nos (sliced/chopped)
Raisins - 10 nos
Kesari colour - One pinch (You can also use red/yellow/orange food colour)
Water - 3 cups
Cardamom - 3 pods(crushed)
Method 
1. Heat 2 tblsp of ghee in a pan. Fry the nuts and raisins and keep it aside.
2. Heat up the same pan again with another 2 tblsp of ghee.
3. Fry the rava till it gives a nice flavour. Remove it in another plate.
4. In the meantime, bring water to boil along with cardamom pods in a nonstick pan.
5. Once the water boils, add the rava little by little stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
6. Add the sugar, salt and kesari powder and stir again. 
7.When it starts to thicken, add half of the nuts and raisins.
8. Pour the rest of the ghee (1/2 cup)  and keep mixing for another few minutes. Add little less ghee for people on diet.
9. Mix in the roasted nuts and raisins. Switch off.
 
Serving Suggestion
     - This is the simplest dessert that can be made. It can be served as such or with some ice cream.
     - Sooji ka Halwa is also served as a sidedish with poori. This is famous as 'Halwa Poori'.
     - This can also be used as a stuffing to make puran polis.
 
Variation
     - Add 1 cup of crushed pineapple or mango puree just before adding the rava to make yummy pineapple kesari or mango kesari. Youcould also try strawberry kesari or banana kesari.
     - You can also add 1 cup of mixed fruits and nuts like apples, grapes, mangos, banana, strawberries, pineapples, dates, peach, almonds, apricaots etc along with the rava. This is called mixed fruit kesari.