Carrot Halwa

I love Gajar ka Halwa! This is one sweet dish that I can go on munching forever! I do not like it very sweet as that literally numbs my taste buds after a while - slightly sweet, milky, soft, nutty carrot halwa (hmmm...yummmm!!!); that's how I like it. The one thing that consoles me after binging on this dish is the fact that how nutritious carrots are - yea its rich but then all that healthy carrots are also going into my system; so I can definitely have more :D

Available in over 100 varieties, carrot is one of the vegetables that is easily assimilated by our body.

Carrots are rich in beta carotene - which gives the vegetable its intense colour; beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in our liver and vitamin A is important for our eye sight. Carrots are also good sources of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin K, biotin, fiber, potassium and thiamine. Of course, cooking carrots for a long time tend to get rid of a lot of the nutrients but surprisingly the beta carotene is pretty heat stable (that gives people like me more valid reason to not quit binging on carrot halwa I guess). But the best way to have it is either raw or steam it lightly. Carrot has strong cleansing properties that help in detoxifying the liver which in turn keeps our skin healthy. The presence of anti oxidants and carotenoids also makes it heart healthy and aids in anti aging. Apparently being fat-soluble, its nutrition is absorbed better with the presence of oil.

As much as I love carrot halwa, the fact that I have to spend 'ages' stirring the ingredients in milk to make a halwa always deters me from actually making it. Recently I saw this show on Fox Traveller and they showed this amazingly simple way of making gajar ka halwa. So easy that lazy bums like me wouldn't mind making it every other day! Here in this recipe we are making instant khoya from Nido milk powder... It is very quick and equally delicious. So have a look and give it a try.

Carrot Halwa: Recipe

Ingredients:

• Medium size carrots grated - 5 
• Brown sugar (you can use white sugar also) - 3 tbsp
• Nido milk powder - 3 tbsp
• Fresh milk - less than 1/4 cup
• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Cardamom crushed - 6 to 8 pods
• Sliced almonds and pistachios for garnish 

Method:

1. Cook the grated carrot for 10 mins in the microwave.
2. Melt ghee in a non stick pan. Add the half cooked grated carrot and stir for few seconds.
3. Add the crushed cardomom and sugar and cook for few minutes. Meanwhile, to prepare the khoya, mix the milk powder with the milk (add enough to make it a thick liquid) and microwave for about 30 seconds.
4. Add this khoya to the carrot and then keep cooking till the halwa reaches the right consistency (if you  think its a bit watery you can sprinkle some milk powder to make it dry).
5. Garnish with nuts and serve hot. 

A simple, quick recipe - linking this to Any One Can Cook: Series 40, Color n Sweet-HOLI FEST  by Preeti: