Gajar Ka Halwa

During the winter there is one dessert that we love equally alongside our pithe puli and nalen gur, and that is gajar ka halwa. And I make it with pure desi ghee and homemade khoya made from scratch. It sure requires some elbow grease, but you can not deny to give some effort when you want a decadent and mouth watering gajar ka halwa in your dessert. When it comes to food we believe in quality over quantity. So may be we will eat only half a bowl of it, but I see it to the end that it is made with the best ingredients and utmost care. And that is how I think, gajar ka halwa should be made. Dripping ghee, lot of dry fruits and smokey hot...what do you think ????

Gajar Ka Halwa

Serves 6

Ingredients:

500gm of carrots

1.5 litres of full fat cow milk

A handful of almonds and pistachios

Some safferon strands (optional)

4-5 green cardamoms

1 cup of ghee

400 gms of sugar

Method:

Grate or shred the carrots into small bits and keep aside.

In a large pot (which can hold double the quantity of the milk) pour the milk.

On medium flame let it come to a boil.

Then change the flame to the lowest and simmer for an hour until the milk becomes one fourth of it's original quantity. Stirvand scrape the sides frequently whike it is simmering and once it has reduced to the desired quantity, switch off the flame. Cover the pot witha cloth, so that the vapour can not turn into water and make the milk watery.

In a kadai heat the ghee.

Once the ghee is warm enough ( not smokey hot, but hot enough to roast the carrots) add the grated carrots into them.

Hold the kadai tightly with a tong and stir and cook the carrots for 2 minutes.

Turn the flame to low to medium and cover the kadai.

Continue cooking the carrots on low flame, stirring frequently until the raw flavour of the carrots are gone and they have started becoming soft. This will take around 10-12 minutes.

Now add the reduced milk to the carrots and stir to mix evenly.

Cover and let them cook on low flame. Do check every 3-4 minutes and stir.

When the milk has reduced further and the sugar.

Mix and simmer for 3-4 minutes more, uncovered.

This is the time to add the green cardamom, saffron and your dry fruits.

Pound the green cardamom in a mortar and pestle until the seeds turn into powder. Discard the skins and add the powder to the halwa.

Stir to mix evenly and switch off the flame.

Serve piping hot with more dry fruits on top.