GAJAR (CARROT) DA HALWA

serves:  8

Ingredients:

• 1000 g carrot, washed, peeled and grated
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 150 g sugar
• 150g butter
• 75g dry milk powder
• 50g almonds, cut into small pieces
• 25 g pistachio, cut into small pieces

Method:

1. Take a heavy base medium size pan and put on medium heat.
2. Add carrots, cardamom powder and sugar. Leave it uncovered so that the water from the carrots dries up.
3. Go on stirring it regularly to avoid sticking to the base. It may take approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
4. As soon as the water from the sugar and carrot is dried up, add butter and go on stirring until it changes its colour a little  and you can see the butter showing on the sides of the pan.
5. After 10 minutes or as soon as you start seeing little butter on the sides, add milk and go on stirring it.
6. The halwa should be stirred continuously or else it can easily burn. After stirring for another 5 minutes, add almond and pistachio, leaving some for decoration and mix these together for another minute or so.
7. Remaining almond and pista pieces can be sprinkled on the top before serving.
8. Halwa can be served hot as a dessert or this can be turned into barfi and can be eaten cold.

Special notes:

1. This is one of the special north Indian desserts.
2. If you decide to make it into barfi, take a big steel plate, sprinkle little ghee on the top and spread it nicely.
3. Pour the halwa and spread it evenly with the back of the big spoon or a small flat base bowl.
4. Sprinkle remaining almond and pistachio pieces on the top and press these a little. Leave it for 15 minutes, then cut into 1 or 1 and half inch pieces.
5.  These can be served immediately and remaining can be kept in an air tight box in the fridge.
6. These can remain good in the fridge for at least 20 days.
7. I use xylitol as it is diabetic friendly.
8. * Instead of sugar, try using xylitol, a natural alternative to sugar that contains far fewer calories than sugar, and thus can have great benefits for those concerned about blood sugar levels. Moreover, the glycemic index (GI) of xylitol is much less than it is for sugar.