Kasaar ~ An offering on festivals

Almost all Indian festivals follow the lunar calendar. The waxing and waning of the moon determines whether a day is auspicious or inauspicious for certain tasks. Growing up, I have seen my mother make a simple but delicious offering called Kasaar on auspicious days like Poornmashi/ full moon days or days of poojas and festivals. And she has always made it look really easy.

While I may not do poojas or follow certain customs, I do make a sweet treat or light a lamp on festival days now that I live on my own away from my parents. Food and certain sweet treats on festivals make me feel at home and bring back memories of simple things from my childhood. And making a simple Kasaar is just one of those things.

I call this Kasaar simple because it really is that. Made using minimal ingredients, the Kasaar is not as heavy as the Punjabi Panjeeree and is quick and easy to prepare. It also uses ingredients that are commonly available in any basic Indian kitchen- Aata or whole wheat flour, a tiny amount of ghee, sugar and cardamom.

Kasaar~ a prashad distributed in small portions

And from here on, you may add any fruit or nut of your choice. It is basic and yet wholesome. Even though Kasaar or any prashad is made in large quantities, the portion size given to people is usually quite small. Prashad or offering is handed out to devotees in small portions of about a few teaspoons worth in different ways; either in scooped hands or in small cup made out of dried Sal leaves called pattal.

People also distribute sweets preparations like Kadha parshaad, Zarda rice, Sooji Halwa in small pattals but sadly, these days one often sees these biodegradable leaf plates/cups replaced for plastic or styrofoam cups.

Roasting is the key

Roasting the Kasaar properly is the key to this dish. I have written about roasting flours properly for Halwas earlier. But unlike Halwas which are wet preparations, a Kasaar is made a very small anount of ghee. Making a Halwa involves working with flour that is (almost!) drenched in ghee, as if it were a paste. Frequent stirring is important in halwas but even more so when roasting flour for Kasaar with a small amount of ghee/butter.

The flour has a tendency to darken and burn if it is not moved by stirring in the Kadhai. Needless to say, roasting should always be done in a Kadhai or pan with a heavy bottom that distributes heat evenly. But don’t take out that Cast iron skillet to make a halwa or kasaar. Cast iron retains heat for longer and can heat up to higher temperatures. It is quite likely that you burn the flour quickly while roasting in a Cast Iron.

I recently followed my mum’s recipe for Kasaar ~ a simple offering for festivals and pooja days and here’s what I did

Prep Time : 5 minutes, Active Time: 12-15 minutes

Serves 3-4 small portions

Tools needed: A large heavy bottom Kadhai or saucepan

Ingredients

• Aata  (whole wheat flour), 1/2 cup
• Ghee ( Clarified Butter), 1/2 tablespoon or more
• Granulated Sugar, 2 tablespoons or according to taste
• Cardamom, 1-2, pounded
• Fresh Fruits like banana, mango, apple, pear (optional)
• Mixed nuts like Almonds, cashews, raisins (optional)

Method

Roasting the flour:

Start by placing a heavy bottom kadhai or big saucepan on medium heat. Now put ghee in the hot kadhai and let it melt. 

Till the ghee melts, measure the amount of aata or whole wheat flour. Once the ghee melts, tip in whole wheat flour and start stirring to incorporate the two ingredients. 

You may see lumps at first but soon you will see that the texture is more uniform because the melted ghee will get distributed evenly. Keep stirring the mixture to avoid overcooking. This should take some 2 minutes.

Roasting Tip :You may adjust the heat if you see the mix getting brown too quickly. The hotter your Kadhai is, the more often you will have to stir it. Do not leave the mixture unattended for too long as it may get cooked unevenly. Cooking the whole wheat slowly by stirring constantly yields better results. The aim is to get the mix to an even golden brown colour wihout burning. The entire process of roasting the flour should take no more than 8-10 minutes. If you take the Kadhai off the heat but let the mixture sit in, the mixture will absorb more heat and become darker. If you are letting it sit in the Kadhai then it’s advisable to switch off the heat earlier than usual, maybe around the 7 minute mark.

Adding flavour and texture:

Pound the cardamom roughly in a mortar and pestle and transfer to the Kadhai. If you are using nuts, this is the time to add them.

Roast the mixture for for another 7-10 minutes till you see it turn an even golden brown. Take it off heat when you are satisfied with the ‘toastiness’ and colour of the flour. Let the mixture cool. If you don’t want the mixture cook to a darker colour, you may transfer it to a plate to cool down.

Sweetening the Kasaar:

After letting the flour cool for 5-7 minutes, add granulated sugar and mix to incorporate. You can adjust the amount of sugar according to your tastes. 

Prep the fresh fruits. Wash the mangoes and apples. Dice the apples and peel the mangoes. Cut the mango in bite sized pieces or follow instructions here on how to dice a mango. Peel and cut the banana.

Add fresh cut fruits to the roasted Kasaar and mix them so that they are coated with the flour and sugar. 

Serve this Kasaar with fresh fruits in small bowls or pattals.