Carrot Halva (Gaajar ka Halva)

Carrot Halva (Gaajar ka Halva):


Shredded carrot cooked in ghee and milk with added sugar and a splash of rose water, a pinch of cardamom powder and a few strands of saffron. Garnished with chopped almonds and pistachios, this dish is an absolute treat for sweet lovers.

This recipe serves 5-6 people.

Ingredients:

500 gm carrot.
300 gm granulated sugar.
1 tbsp of ghee
400 ml of milk
1 tbsp of condensed milk.
1 tsp of cardamom powder.
2 tsp of rose water
Few strands of saffron.
Chopped almonds and pistachios.

Process:

Wash the carrot and peel and shred them. In a tbsp of milk soak the saffron strands. Heat a pan and add one tbsp of ghee. Add the shredded carrot and give it a good stir. Adding carrots in ghee gives a good aroma. Always use freshly grated carrot for this dish otherwise the color of carrots will turn brown and it won?t look good. After 5-7 minutes add the milk and heat it for another 15-20 mins on medium heat. Keep stirring. The milk will reduce and thicken. Add the sugar and mix it properly. Add cardamom powder, rose water, saffron milk and a tbsp of condensed milk. Keep heating and stirring till the mixture gets the required consistency. Adding condensed milk is optional. I like to add it as it enhances the aroma and taste. Remove from heat when done. Transfer in a serving bowl. Garnish it with chopped almonds and pistachios. Serve hot or cold.

The whole process takes about 40-45 mins after shredding the carrot. But the results are worth the pain. It is one my favorite sweet dish.