Gajar Ka Halwa

Come winters and I start waiting for red carrots for making halwa. Unfortunately in bangalore both winters and red carrots come very late around december end. But still the wait is worth it!
I prefer the red carrots over the orange ones, for making gajar ka halwa.

The recipe is very simple so usually I end up making it every weekend and keep it in the refrigerator. No doubt by the end of winters both me and hubby would have gained a few kilos!

Ingredients

1 kg finely grated carrots. The finer the carots are grated the better is the taste.

1 cup sugar (can be increased or decreased as per individual's taste).

1/3 cup clarified butter (ghee) for the halwa

100 gms cashewnuts, raisins

2 Tbsp clarified butter(ghee) for frying the the dry fruits

100 gms Dried whole milk (khoya, mawa).

1/2 ltr milk

Before starting on the halwa make sure that the khoya is soft. Mash this khoya with hand and keep aside

In a pan heat 2 Tbsp of ghee. When heated add the cashews and the raisins and fry till golden brown. Keep aside. I erred and you can see the black cashews in the photograph!

Cook the grated carrots and the milk in a thick bottom wok till no more milk is visible. Add the sugar and the fried dry fruits to this mixture and cook further. The sugar will dilute. Cook until the water evaporates. Now add the ghee to this mixture and let it saute on low flame. Keep on mixing it at regular intervals so that the halwa does not stick to the bottom. Its done when you see that the color of the carrots have changed to a dark maroon. Also it would start exuding the ghee. At this point add the mashed khoya, mix well and keep on mixing it for another 10-15 mins at regular intervals.

Bingo! we have the gajar ka halwa ready....never mind the calories!

Let it just melt in your mouth :)