Pineapple Kesari

Pineapple kesari or pineapple kesari bath is a famous South Indian dessert made with pineapple, semolina and copious amount of ghee. My version is an easy instant pot pineapple kesari, perfect for this festive time.

Back in early 2002, when I moved to Bangalore, I had no idea what kesari bath means. For us North Indians, semolina pudding is always halwa. When I first heard about the kesari bath, I was certain it is some sort of saffron rice. But to my surprise, it was a saffron-colored sooji halwa or semolina pudding with loads of ghee and fried dried fruits and nuts. Kesari bath hass many versions, including many fruit-based ones. Pineapple kesari, however, is my most favorite one.

For this dessert, you will need semolina. But do not use the coarse semolina you use for making upma. There is a finer version of the semolina that is easily available in Indian stores. Use it for this recipe for the best result.

I strongly suggest not to reduce the amount of ghee while making this recipe. After the halwa is made, you can separate the ghee floating on the halwa just by using a spoon. Since we will pressure cook the halwa, the ghee will often float on the halwa at the end of cooking. Therefore, it is easier to remove some ghee at the end of cooking.

I have used canned, crushed pineapple for this recipe. If you want, feel free to use fresh, chopped pineapple in this recipe. Pressure cooking allows the fruit pulp to infuse their flavors really well in the grains.

How To Make Pineapple Kesari in Instant Pot?

Ingredients: 2 cups fine sooji or semolina, 2 cups ghee, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon saffron, ½ cup roasted nuts(cashew and almonds), 2 cups crushed pineapple in their juice(1 large can of canned Crushed pineapple), 7 cups water, 1 teaspoon cardamom(optional)

Cook the Syrup:

In the inner pot of your instant pot, add pineapple, water, sugar and saffron. Mix well. Set the instant pot to pressure cook in manual for 3-minutes. After three minutes wait for 10-minutes and QPR. Open the lid and mix the liquid really well. Transfer the liquid to a large saucepan and set aside. Remember the liquid should be hot before adding to the semolina. If needed reheat the liquid before adding to the roasted semolina.

Cook Pineapple Kesari:

Clean the inner pot and set it to a sauté mode. Add 1 ½ cups of ghee and allow it to melt. Now add semolina when the ghee melts and the digital display shows hot.
Use a spatula to mix the semolina in the ghee properly to avoid lumps. Since the ghee will be hot, you may have to mix the grains really quick to avoid any burning. Keep mixing the semolina till they brown and the mixture bubbles.

Add cardamom powder and switch off the instant pot. Now add the pineapple-sugar water carefully and continuously mix the mixture. This is a very crucial step. If you don’t mix the grains well, there will be lumpy mass in the pudding.

After mixing well, you will still see a lot of liquid in the pan. Now set the instant pot to pressure cook for 1-minute on high. After the cooking time is over, wait for 5-minutes and then quick-release pressure.

Open the lid and add the rest ½ cup of ghee and mix well. If you want, use a shallow spoon to remove ghee from the pudding. (This is an optional step) Add roasted nuts and resins if using, and garnish with some saffron.

Serve the pineapple kesari warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Another Way to Make Pineapple Kesari:

Alternatively, set the instant pot to a sauté mode, and add the ½ cup of ghee, and keep stirring the mixture until the mixture becomes dry and ghee floats on top.

If using this method, close the lid at this point and wait for five minutes. Now open the lid and you will see the ghee floating on the semolina pudding at this point. If you want, use a shallow spoon to remove ghee from the pudding. (This is an optional step)

Add roasted nuts and resins if using, and garnish with some saffron. Serve the pineapple kesari warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

📖 Recipe

Pineapple Kesari {Instant Pot}

An easy and delectable Indian dessert - pineapple kesari made in the instant pot.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Indian kesari bath, insgant pot kesari, instant pot halwa, Pineapple kesari

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 264kcal

Author: Sophie

Cost: $7

Equipment

• Instant pot

Ingredients

• 2 cups fine sooji or semolina
• 2 cups ghee
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon saffron
• ½ cup roasted nuts, cashew and almonds
• 2 cups crushed pineapple in their juice, 1 large can of canned pineapple
• 7 cups water
• 1 teaspoon cardamom, optional

Instructions

• In the inner pot of your instant pot, add pineapple, water, sugar and saffron. Mix well.
• Set the instant pot to pressure cook in manual for 3-minutes. After three minutes wait for 10-minutes and QPR.
• Open the lid and mix the liquid really well. Transfer the liquid to a large saucepan and set aside.
• Remember the liquid should be hot before adding to the semolina. If needed reheat the liquid before adding to the roasted semolina.
• Clean the inner pot and set it to a sauté mode. Add 1 ½ cups of ghee and allow it to melt.
• Now add semolina when the ghee melts and the digital display shows hot.
• Use a spatula to mix the semolina in the ghee properly to avoid lumps. Since the ghee will be hot, you may have to mix the grains really quick to avoid any burning. Keep mixing the semolina till they brown and the mixture bubbles.
• Add cardamom powder and switch off the instant pot. Now add the pineapple-sugar water carefully and continuously mix the mixture.
• This is a very crucial step. If you don’t mix the grains well, there will be lumpy mass in the pudding. After mixing well, you will still see a lot of liquid in the pan.
• Now set the instant pot to pressure cook for 1-minute on high.
• After the cooking time is over, wait for 5-minutes and then quick release pressure. Open the lid and add the rest ½ cup of ghee and mix well.
• Alternative non-pressure cook method: Alternatively, set the instant pot to a sauté mode, and add the ½ cup of ghee, and keep stirring the mixture until the mixture becomes dry and ghee floats on top.
• If using this method, close the lid at this point and wait for five minutes. Now open the lid and you will see the ghee floating on the semolina pudding at this point. If you want, use a shallow spoon to remove ghee from the pudding. (This is an optional step)
• Add roasted nuts and resins if using, and garnish with some saffron. Serve the pineapple kesari warm or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

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Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g

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