Carrot Halwa

I have cooked this halwa few times and each time it’s a hit and easy to make. A slight advantage over flour halwas since it contains vegetable we can call it healthier..hehe. That was our wedding day and there’s a unwritten rule of making a sweet. My mom usually makes rava kesari for special occasions with lots of ghee and cashews...yummy similar to the srinivasa perumal temple’s kesari..haha.

Carrots Health benefits:

As we all know it’s good for improving eyesight, assists in skin’s health and delays aging. 

Carrot Halwa

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet/Snack/dessert

Yields: 3

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 25 Mins 

Ingredients needed:

1 big sized carrot(chopped, approx = 2 cups)

½ cup milk

¾ cup sugar(I used raw sugar,

adjust according to your sweet tooth level, carrots also give out some sweetness)

Cashews as needed

1 tsp Cardamom powder/Nutmeg powder

3-4 tbsp of ghee ghee/oil 

To make the halwa:

1. Pressure cook carrots with milk for 3-4 whistles or until soft.

2. Transfer cooked carrot to a heavy bottomed vessel and mash it to a smooth paste.

3.Turn on heat to medium.Cover the lid cook for 5 mins. Now remove lid and keep stirring the mixture until 70% of the moisture is absorbed.

4.Now add sugar and 2 tbsp of ghee. The mixture will become little watery. Keep working on it until it becomes thick and non sticky in the pan. For me it took about 10-15 mins after adding sugar.

5.Fry cashews in ghee and add it to the halwa with cardamom powder.Add another tbsp of ghee and switch off ,serve hot.

Notes:

You can add desired nuts as it is or after frying in ghee.

Personally, I don’t like adding salt to enhance flavor but if you like you can.

You can cook carrots or boil them(just to get rid of that raw smell) without milk and later you can add condensed milk to the mashed carrots but  adjust sugar accordingly. Condensed milk gives a rich taste to the halwa.

Even koya can be added instead of milk.