Rava Kesari with condensed Milk

In the weekend when we where in the Walmart, I passed by the sugar isle and couldn’t help but to notice the sweet condensed milk. It just brought back my childhood memories. Once in a while my mom used to bring the condensed milk (popularly called as milkmaid) not to make any fancy cakes but just for us take a spoonful and lick every bit of it. The smooth, sweet and creamy texture was just heaven for me. So, after this small flash back, I thought let me just get it and will eventually figure out what to make… or as usual eat just like that. Yesterday being Krishnashtami , I dressed up my daughter as chinni krishnudu . She was looking so cute, it felt like krishna has come to my house. To celebrate the festival I made Rava kesari with condensed milk. As a substitute to milk and sugar I added the sweet condensed milk. It came out pretty good and all I can say is the recipe is a keeper. Ingredients: (Makes about 10 pieces)
• 1/2 cup semolina (rava)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3/4th cup sweet condensed milk (or adjust acc to ur taste)
  • 2 tsp ghee
  • 2 cardamoms pods finely powdered
  • Little bit of saffron and
  • A handful of cashews and raisins
In a skillet put half teaspoon of ghee and fry the raisins and cashews till light golden color. Remove and keep it a side. In the same pan put half teaspoon of ghee and lightly toast the rava in a low heat and keep it a side. Now take 1 1/2 cups of water and saffron (slightly rub the saffron in your palm, it helps it melt in the water easily) and let them come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the toasted rava and stir continuously for five minutes. When it starts to thicken, add the condensed milk stirring continuously and making sure the rava doesn’t stick the pan. Cook for another five minutes. Then finally add one teaspoon of ghee, cashews, raisins and the cardamom powder. Coat a tray with some ghee and pour the rava kesari in the tray. With the help of little bit of ghee spread the kesari and let it sit for few minutes. This helps the rava kesari to thicken. Then cut into pieces, offer to the chinni Krishna as neivedyam and serve your loved once.