Gajar Kaa Halwa ( Carrot Halwa )

In winter you get lots n lots of carrots and I like to make various dishes using carrot during this time. Carrot contains plenty of Vitamin A which is essential for our eye sight and also lot of fibre to provide roughage to our body. Though eating raw carrot regularly  is best for our health, there is certainly no harm in occasionally  making something as simple and delicious as this gajar kaa halwa.

This sweet can be easily made with minimum ingredients and is always popular among children and adults alike.I saw this recipe in a Marathi book called Sugranishi Hitaguz written by a well known nutritionist Dr Malati Karwarkar .

 She has advised on turning our regular dishes into healthy and delcious ones.  In this recipe instead of using Khoya or Mawa I have used instant milk powder. This makes the dish more nutritious . For making khoya /mawa you need to boil and reduce milk and in this process the nutrition part in milk is lost whereas milk powder provides you with all the advantages of milk . Also adding poppy seeds adds to the nutritional value along with giving that additional crunchiness to the halwa. You can add or skip the other nuts according to your taste.

Ingredients :

1/2 kg................ carrots ( select dark orange and long thick variety )
1 n 1/2 cup.........sugar ( use can alter the amount as per your liking)
2 tbsp................ghee
2 tbsp..............chopped nuts ( almonds, pistachios , cashews etc )
1 tbsp...............raisins
1/2 tsp..............cardamom powder
4 tbsp.............. instant milk powder ( or can use khoya / mawa )
1 tbsp ..............poppy seeds ( optional )
silver foil for garnish ( optional )

Method :

Wash and grate the carrots.

In a non stick pan add ghee and saute the carrots till the raw smell disappears.

Cook till carrots are half cooked . ( this may take 8 to 10 minutes ).

Add sugar and cook till sugar melts.

Now add poppy seeds and instant milk powder and cook for 5 more minutes.

Before removing add the nuts, cardamom powder and switch off the gas.

Garnish with silver foil and serve warm.

Also sending it to :


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