Gajar ka Halwa

The word Gajar means " Carrots". The word "Halwa" refers to thick dense, sweet confection.
Gajar Ka Halwa is one of the most popular traditional Indian desserts. Gajar ka Halwa is made with fresh carrots and cooked in milk and ghee and garnished with nuts and raisins. Halwa can also be made with carrots, pumpkins, yams, squashes like bottle guard and lentils, using various nuts including sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, chironji, pistachios etc. The basic method remains the same, but when you change the main ingredient, it gives a different flavour and taste altogether.

Here, I used the condense milk in this recipe, as there is no need to measure milk and sugar. The people on diet can skip this ingredient and add splenda and skim milk instead.

Ingredients:
Carrots / Gajar - 1 lb washed, scraped and grated
Condensed milk - 1 can
Cardamom pods
Water - 1 cup
Khoya - 4/5 tbsp
Ghee/ clarified butter - 5 tbsp
Nuts of choice - 2 tsp each Raisins, Almonds/ cashews/ pistachios/ chironji etc.

Method:
Take a pan add water and condense milk and stir it, until the milk dilutes, add cardamom  and allow it to boil.

Add the grated carrots. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes.
On a slow flame continue to cook, to let all the water and milk evoporate, mixing continously, making sure it doesn't burn the bottom of the pan.

Add the khoya and mix it, switch off the flame.

Take a small pan and add ghee, add the raisins, and choice of nuts and fry them till light brown. Add it to the cooked carrots and mix it. Add a little crushed cardamom , Garnish with more nuts and serve hot or cold.