Heat a portion of the ghee in the kadai and fry the cashews and raisins until the cashews turn golden and the raisins plump up, then set them aside.

Add the rava to the remaining ghee in the same kadai and roast on low heat, stirring continuously, until it turns light golden and smells nutty.

In a separate pan, bring the water to a boil with the saffron strands and food color until fragrant and lightly tinted.

Carefully pour the boiling water into the roasted rava while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

Cover the kadai and cook on low heat until all the water is absorbed and the rava turns completely soft with no raw graininess left.

Mix in the sugar and cardamom powder, stirring until the sugar melts fully and the mixture turns glossy and starts to thicken.

Stir in the fried cashews, raisins, and a tiny pinch of edible camphor, then turn off the heat once the kesari starts leaving the sides of the pan.

Let the kesari sit undisturbed for a couple of minutes to firm up slightly before spooning it out and serving warm.