it looks like we cannot get the $results directly?

[chongshengdz]

it looks like we cannot get the $results directly?
then how can we cache the search results to file or redis?
we can only get $results['hits'] or $results['hits']['hits']

[miguelgrinberg]

The response that you get from a search request is formatted in the standard way the Elasticsearch server provides it. The list of results is in $results['hits']['hits'], and each element in the array has a _source key with the actual data. So for example, the first returned document would be at $results['hits']['hits'][0]['_source'].

Maybe it would help if you explain more in detail what you are trying to do that this above does not address.