DESCRIPTION:

Gajar ka halwa also known as gajrela or gajorer halwa, is a sweet dessert pudding originating from the Indian subcontinent, associated mainly with North India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is made by placing grated carrot in a pot containing a specific amount of water, milk and sugar and then cooking while stirring regularly. It is often served with a garnish of almonds and pistachios. The nuts and other items used are first sautéed in ghee, a South Asian clarified butter.

The dessert is a favourite all over Northern India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is traditionally eaten during all of the festivals in India, mainly on the occasion of Diwali, Holi, Eid al-Fitr and Raksha Bandhan. It is served hot during the winter.

Nowadays, gajar ka halwa is a popular worldwide dessert with many variations such as red velvet halwa, carrot and beetroot halwa, and cheesy carrot halwa.

PREPERATION:

Preperation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS:

-½ kg carrots / gajar
-½ liter or 2 cups full fat milk
-½ heaped cup sugar 
-3 to 4 elachi/ cardamom pods skinned  
 and powdered.
-2 tbsps ghee
-¼ to ½ cup khoya/ mawa 
-½ cup mixture of nuts pista, cashew 
 and almonds

STEPS:

1. Wash carrots thoroughly under running water. Peel and grate them.
2. Use a heavy bottom large pot or pan for this recipe. On a low heat dry roast nuts pistachios, cashews and almonds until crunchy for garnishing. Let them cool and chop them.
3. In the same pan, add milk and heat it.
4. Add grated carrots.
5. Stir and cook on a medium flame to prevent it from burning at the bottom. 
6. When the milk completely evaporates  add sugar in it and stir.
7. When the sugar melts and the moisture is half evaporated, add ghee and stir well.
8. Stir and cook until the halwa thickens. Now finish off by adding cardamom powder.
9. Garnish the halwa with nuts and serve hot.

Servings: 4-5