A dessert is a need following a meal, whether it be ice cream, a sweet dish, or a bowl of our beloved kheer. Speaking of kheer, this rich, delicious, and creamy treat is every dessert lover’s fantasy. Several items may be used to make this delicacy. For example, rice, sabudana, makhana—the list goes on. Here is Rava (Semolina) Kheer, our all-time favorite dish.
What is Rava Kheer?
A classic Indian pudding prepared with semolina (rava or sooji/suji), milk, sugar, cardamom powder, and nuts like cashews, this dish is simple and tasty. It is prepared during fasting, festivals, and special occasions and takes only 20 minutes to make it. It is also known as Rave Payasa in Kannada, Rava Pal Payasam in Tamil, Suji ki Kheer in Hindi. I first tasted this sweet at my Mom’s sister’s place, and I loved it. It is also served in a lot of restaurants in the South as part of South Indian Thalis.
Rava Kheer Ingredients
How to Make Suji Kheer (Rava Payasam)
Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a kadai over medium heat. Add the cashews, and roast until it turns light golden brown. Then add raisins and saute until they plump up. Then, remove the nuts and store them aside. Add the unroasted Bombay rava to the kadai and roast on low flame until it turns aromatic; do not brown. It takes about 3-4 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent it from burning. Then, slowly pour the milk into the kadai. Stir continuously to avoid lumps. Simmer and stir occasionally until the sooji cooks well, and the kheer has thickened slightly. It takes 6-8 minutes. Then add the sugar and stir well until the sugar dissolves completely. Continue to cook further for another 2-3 minutes until the kheer thickens slightly. Lastly, stir in the cardamom powder and roasted nuts. Take the sooji kheer off the stove. It will thicken further as it cools down. Serve Sooji kheer warm or chilled.
Rava Payasam Serving Suggestions
Rava Payasam can be served hot or chilled based on your preference on special occasions or festivals.
Storage Suggestions
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. After refrigeration, the kheer may thicken a bit. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little warm milk while reheating.
Tips & Variations for Rava Payasam
Roasting Rava: Lightly roast the rava in ghee before adding milk. This enhances the flavor and prevents it from becoming mushy. You may also use fine sooji. Stir Continuously: While adding milk to the roasted rava, stir continuously, or else the lumps can be formed. Sweetener: You can use any sweetener of your choice. You may also use jaggery instead of refined sugar. Just make sure it’s organic and add it at the end, as impurities in the jaggery may curdle the milk. Milk: Use whole milk for a thick and creamy kheer. If you are vegan, use almond or cashew milk. Condensed Milk: You can add 2-3 tablespoons of condensed milk (reduce the sugar amount) to thicken and enhance the flavor. Choice of Nuts: Add any nuts of your choice to this kheer. Consistency: The kheer thickens as it cools down or during refrigeration, so make sure to make a slightly runnier consistency while cooking.
More Dessert Recipes
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