Gajar ka Halwa , the rich caramelised carrot pudding is one of the most popular Indian Dessert.
To make this Gajar ka Halwa, carrots are cooked in milk and ghee till it is completely cooked and caramelised. A simple dessert but takes some patience and time. This is an all round the year dessert, but winters are best, as you get the juiciest and sweetest carrots. I have used Red carrots, but you can use the regular ones as well.
Ingredients
1 kilo – Red carrot/ Delhi carrot
1 cup or more – Sugar to taste
1/4 ltr – Milk
1/2 cup – Ghee/ Clarified butter
100 gms – Khova/Khoya
1/8 cup – Cashew, raisins and Pistachio slices
1/4 cup – Brandy (optional)
Method
Wash, peel and grate the carrot.
Take carrot and ghee in a pressure cooker and saute for 5 minutes till the colour of the carrots change.
Add milk to this and once it comes to a boil cover the pressure cooker and cook till the cooker releases two whistles.
Open the lif of the cooker once it cools down.
Set the cooker on a low flame and cook further till all the milk is evaporated completely. This should take 4minutes.
Add sugar according to your taste, lower the flame and saute for an other 30 minutes.
Keep mixing now and then. Add crumbeled khova and mix it well. Increase the flame and stir continuously till all the moisture in the halwa is evaporated and it starts caramalising. Add cardamom powder , chopped cashews, raisins and give it a good mix.
Serve the halwa warm or hot with generous sprinkling of sliced pistachios. To give it a more royal touch also dab edible silver leaf over the Halwa.
Twist to Gajar Ka Halwa
To Flambé the halwa, fill a ladle full of brandy, till the rim and light it using a gas burner or a match stick. Let the brandy flame up and pour this flaming alcohol over the halwa. Mix it well into the halwa.
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