Kesari Is The Indian Dessert That Shines Bright From Saffron
Adapted from an ancient Ottoman dessert called irmik helvasi, kesari first became popular in South India in the 18th century. Kesar is the Hindi word for saffron, which is the colorful spice that gives the dessert its iconic warm yellow hue. As a South Indian dessert, kesari is more commonly called kesari bath or rava kesari. Rava is what South Indians call semolina flour (North Indians call it sooji), which is the other primary ingredient for the dish. Alongside the semolina flour and saffron, a typical kesari recipe includes cashews, raisins, sugar, and ghee. Some recipes will add pineapple or other nuts as a spin on the classic.
Kesari is most commonly associated with big social gatherings like festivals and weddings, but it's also eaten as a sweet breakfast treat. It's considered a type of halwa or Indian pudding (the Ottoman irmik helvasi dessert that kesari stems from translates to semolina halwa). In the North, they have a similar dessert to kesari called suji ka halwa which is nearly identical to kesari minus the saffron.
It's often eaten on its own, but kesari can also be served with a side of vanilla ice cream or sweet yogurt. The dessert has an interesting texture that melts in your mouth, halfway between a moist cake and thick pudding.
Read more: Restaurant Foods That Always Taste Better Than What You Make At Home
Saffron Is Kesari's Crown Jewel
Saffron is famous for being the world's most expensive spice -- a pound of it would cost you several thousand dollars. It's likely, because of the cost, that some restaurants and bakeries will make rava kesari with orange food coloring instead of using the real thing. Naturally, kesari made with real saffron is considered to be of higher quality.
A full 90% of the world's saffron is produced in Iran, but only 35% of it gets exported to the rest of the world. India is the second largest producer and the spice has been an integral part of the country's economy for centuries. It's no surprise that the region has a popular dessert that revolves around it, although it is interesting that saffron is exclusively grown in the Northern regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. One would think that the Northern version of the dish would contain saffron since that's where it's produced, but it's actually a specialty of the south.
India's saffron industry has faced serious challenges over the past few decades and production has declined as a result. A primary factor in this decline is the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan which more or less revolves around a land dispute over the region of Jammu and Kashmir. Pair the conflict with several difficult seasons of drought and you've got a decent picture of the obstacles the industry is facing.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
