Carrot Halwa

So now I finally utter Om Ganeshaya Namah(A prayer to Ganesh-The Indian Elephant God of good prosperity and success)and begin on a sweet note here.I have tasted multiple versions of this sweet dish-namely the condensed milk one as well as the milk powder version which I believe tastes everything other than Carrot Halwa, but this is my favorite and I do not prefer anything apart from this.I also did a lot of research on the same and have come up with this perfect version.In Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh where I was born and bought up..Carrot Halwa came up on the counters of the sweet shops as the cold set in around December..or even before that.I remember in a friend’s marriage there was an unusually delicious combination – Hot Carrot Halwa with vanilla ice cream!!I thought CRAZY..but when I had my first spoonful of the duo I knew I had met a fusion of East and West.I had 3 servings of the same and did not stop there!I went back home and in a couple of days whipped up a 2 kg batch of Carrot Halwa and in the winter sprinted to the shops to get a big tub of nice vanilla ice cream!Its been like that ever since..and believe me..its a WOW combination!!So here goes..the rich and royal -Carrot Halwa.

Preparation Time – 1 hour plus steaming time
Makes – 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 kg red carrots(orange and purple carrots also make a nice halwa)
1 kg sugar(adjust according to taste more or less – I believe if you make this darling once a while its ok to use sugar without hesitation)/sugar substitute according to taste
1/2 kg mawa/khoya(available in Indian stores)
2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp almonds – coarsely chopped
2 tbsp cashewnuts – coarsely chopped
2 tbsp pistachios – coarsely chopped
2 tbsp raisins/sultanas – stems removed
2 tbsp chiroli/chironji nuts
1 cup whole milk
2 tbsp ghee(clarified butter)/refined oil (use ghee for spectacular results) plus 1 tbsp for deep frying nuts

METHOD

Wash,wipe and scrape carrots and remove the tips and the thin roots.In a food processor,grate carrots and place in a bowl.Take a pressure cooker and heat the ghee.Add the grated carrots and stir fry on very low heat till the carrots are glossy(say approx 5 minutes).Add the milk,stir briefly and fasten the lid of the cooker.Steam for approx 7-10 minutes till the carrots release their aroma and are soft and cooked.Remove lid and check if any liquid is left in the cooker.If so this has to be removed by slow heating.Let all liquid evaporate and then add the sugar.
Here you need to check the taste once you add the sugar to ensure its to your choice.Be careful to add little amounts as we do not want an overly sweet halwa.In case of sugar substitute I recommend using a powder like Sugar Free Natura as it would be easy enough to blend into the carrots.
Now once sugar the added,the carrots give off water which AGAIN needs to be completely absorbed.Turn the heat to the lowest level and keep stirring to avoid sticking(here a non-stick pan works wonderfully).Then add the cardamom powder and cook the carrots to nearly dry.Take off the stove and keep aside to cool.
Crumble mawa with fingertips on a plate.Take a small pan and heat 1 tbsp of ghee.Start with the nuts-almonds,pistachios,chiroli and cashewnuts.After they become golden add the raisins and fry till they puff up.Add to the halwa.When the halwa is lukewarm add the mawa crumble and fold into the halwa. Ensure that the mawa does not disintegrate enough to blend into the halwa.It should be visible and discernible.

So here is the gorgeous,uber delicious and mouth watering carrot halwa. It has multiple uses:

1.As I mentioned earlier have it as a dessert either by itself or with vanilla ice cream(try other types but vanilla works best).

2.Use it as a stuffing for sweet parathas.

3.You can make the mixture thick enough to be spread on trays and cut into pieces for a delicious barfi.

4.Mix it with a little condensed milk and whole milk for a lovely carrot kheer.

Try it and tell me how yours came out and tell me innovative tips as well to make my work better!