Making the popular Indian dessert Gajar ka Halwa is very simple and easy. Just keep the proportions in mind and enjoy the sweet dish.
1.5 kilogram carrots
6 tablespoons Ghee or clarified butter
2 Cups khoya or Mawa
1 to 1.25 cup sugar or as required
1.5 to 2 teaspoons cardamom powder or 8 to 9 green cardamoms
1 tablespoon pistachios, chopped or slivered
⅓ cup cashews, or add as required
⅓ cup golden raisins or add as required
1. Heat 6 tablespoons ghee in a deep bottomed heavy pan or kadai. Add 9 cups tightly packed grated carrots.
2. On a low heat, sauté carrots in ghee, stirring often until they turn tender and are cooked – about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of crumbled or grated khoya (a.k.a. mawa or evaporated milk solids).
4. First mix thoroughly.
5. Then add 1 to 1.25 cups sugar. Adjust the amount of sugar depending upon the sweetness of your khoya. If your khoya is sweet, start with just 1 cup of sugar.
6. Combine and mix well.
7. You will see that both the khoya and sugar will melt.
8. Now add ⅓ cup of cashews, ⅓ cup golden raisins, 1 tablespoon pistachios (chopped) and 1.5 to 2 teaspoons cardamom powder.
9. Mix again and, stirring often, simmer gajar halwa on low heat. The halwa will start thickening, reducing and leave the edges of the pan. When you see these signs, switch off the heat.
10. Serve gajar ka halwa either warm or chilled.
Use fresh, juicy and tender carrots for the best texture and taste. The recipe can be halved or doubled or tripled according to your needs Note that if you increase the proportions, it will need a lot of simmering and take more time to cook
Do not leave the halwa mixture unattended while its simmering and cooking as the ingredients can burn or brown at the bottom of the pan. The carrot halwa mixture has to be stirred often. Add nuts and dry fruits of your choice.