Gaajar ka halwaa

With winter setting in this is a favorite sweet dish relished by my family. Beginning of December marks the comeback of the sweet red carrots from Mahabaleshwar (a hill station about 200 kms from Mumbai). Here is a quick and easy recipe.

Ingredients:
Carrots: About 7 medium sized, peeled and grated
Milk- 1/2 cup
Mawa (a type of Indian cheese)- 1 cup (50gms), grated ( Reference of "how to make Mawa at home", click here.)
Ghee (clarified butter)- 2 tablespoons
Sugar- 7 tablespoons
Cardamom Powder- 1 teaspoon
Cashew nuts- 7 to 10 broken into pieces
Almonds- 7 to 10, blanched, peeled and cut into thin strips

Method:

• On a high flame heat the ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the grated carrot into the ghee and cook for about 5 minutes or till the moisture evaporates completely. Keep stirring continuously.
• Add the milk and sugar. Stir for a minute and put on the lid. Allow this to cook till 4 whistles are released. Switch off the flame and allow to cool.
• Remove the lid from the cooker. Place it back onto a medium high flame.
• Now add the mawa and stir the mixture till the mawa mixes in completely. Allow it to cook for another 4 minutes or until the moisture evaporates completely. Keep stirring occasionally.
• Add the cardamom powder, cashews and almond. Stir and cook for a minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Serve piping hot OR with vanilla ice cream OR with Gulab Jamun...