Gajar ka halwa

Winter is here and the season demands nothing else but gajar ka halwa. Made with a combination of grated carrots, milk, nuts, ghee, this dessert is extremely popular worldwide.

As I’m making this halwa, my kitchen is full of fragrance from the carrots and milk simmering away. Making this dessert takes me down to my childhood memory, those glimpses from mom’s kitchen make the food more special. Sarson ka saag with makki di roti.. gajar ka halwa..gobhi shalgam ka achar were the must have food during winter season at my mom’s place. I remember very well she would make 5 kg or sometimes 10 kg halwa at a time… pheeewww…that’s a tedious task isn’t it??? But she would never get tired or bored grating those carrots, my dad used to help her always in grating those huge amount of carrots, chopping the nuts, stirring the halwa. Seeing them working together in kitchen was good fun, with lots of gossips, laughter.

Did I share with you that my father was an amazing cook but now he does not considering his age. Mom learned this recipe from her nani (grandmom) and would share lovely stories with us while making this out of the world dessert. I will share it with Athena as she grows, she is all of 8 years now. Today I’m sharing my mom’s mouthwatering and famous recipe with you lovely people.

The first time when I decided to make gajar ka halwa (some 11 years back) it seemed pretty scary to me, being new to kitchen then it seemed a very tedious and time consuming task. At first thought, it was like why the hell did I decide to make this halwa but it was VK’s favorite dessert I had to make it. I believed I could and I was halfway there.

All the hard work paid of and every effort seemed worth it. The aroma of ghee and caramelized carrots made it difficult to resist and the verdict from VK was I have never eaten a halwa like this before and it is way beyond imagination and the best halwa in the world, I was a happy clappy girl. Gajar ka halwa is also loved Athena who is sweet toothed, unlike Arnav who loves spices more than anything sweet just like me. Do you know a secret and have you seen anybody who doesn’t eat this famous dessert…yes its me J. I love to make it but wouldn’t eat a spoon of it.

It was then cooking became a hobby for me, I started experimenting with food and it had now turned into a passion. This wouldn’t have been possible without VK…who encourages me with anything I do..and to start this blog. All good things in life are sweet just as this one.

“Dessert is like a feel good song and the best on make you dance – Chef Edward Lee”

Gajar ka halwa or carrot pudding recipe:

Ingredients

Carrots – 1kg, peeled and grated

Ghee – 8tbsp

Milk- 750 ml, boiled

Malai – 1 cup

Sugar- 200gms adjust according to taste

Green Cardamom – 4 to 5 deseeded and crushed to a fine powder

Chopped cashew nuts – 1tbsp

Chopped almonds – 1tbsp

Method

Add the grated carrots and milk in a pressure cooker and pressure cook till one whistle turn off the
gas and allow the steam to escape till pressure escapes.

·
Transfer the contents of the pressure cooker into a heavy bottom kadhai, add malai.

·
Cook on low heat stirring from time to time, until the carrots are soft and the milk has almost evaporated takes around 2 – 21/2 hrs.

·
Add sugar at this stage and mix till dissolved; continue cooking on low heat till the liquid released from sugar has evaporated almost completely.

·
Add ghee and mix well.

·
Cook on medium heat for further 20 – 25 minutes till ghee has separated and the carrots become
lovely dark orange in color. Turn the heat to high and roast for further 5 minutes.

·
Add the cardamom powder and mix well and take it off heat.

·
Add the chopped nuts to the prepared halwa.

·
Serve hot garnished with more nuts.

Enjoy.

Love,