Carrot Halwa Recipes

Steps:

• For the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch springform cake pan.
• In a bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, vanilla and egg together until combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, chai masala powder, baking powder and salt until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the carrots, nuts and dates. Turn the stand mixer on stir and gradually add the liquid ingredients until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top of the cake is springy when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
• For the halwa: Add the milk, carrots, cardamom powder and saffron to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, then add the raisins and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk dries up and the raw smell of the carrot disappears, another 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the ghee to a small saute pan over medium heat and allow to melt. Add the almonds, cashews and pistachios and stir to coat in the ghee. Allow to toast, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
• Add the paneer, toasted nuts, condensed milk and granulated sugar to the pot with the milk mixture and stir to combine. Pour the mixture onto sheet trays to cool quickly, then refrigerate to cool completely.
• For the assembly: Remove the cake from the pan and split into two layers horizontally. Put 1 cake layer back into the springform pan to help with filling the cake. Put 1 cup of the whipped cream into a pastry bag and line the rim of the cake with whipped cream. Fill the middle of the cake with the halwa. Top with the remaining cake layer, then frost the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish the cake with the pistachio dust, edible flowers and gold leaf. Slice and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add carrots. Cook and stir briefly, about 3 minutes. Pour in milk and increase heat; bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 1 hour.
• Bring carrot-milk mixture back to a boil. Add sugar, raisins, cardamom, and saffron. Cook and stir until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Ladle carrot halwa into 8 individual serving dishes. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon pistachios. Serve warm or chill before serving.

Steps:

• Peel and grate carrots.
• Put milk and carrots in a heavy saucepan.
• Boil till thick, stirring occasionally.
• Once it starts thickening, stir continuously.
• Add sugar and cook further till thickens.
• Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour.
• Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out.
• Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista.

Steps:

• Grate the carrots with the fine blade of your food processor or with a box grater.
• Melt the ghee in a stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat. Meanwhile, crush the cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle or with a heavy saucepan. Discard the papery pods and crush the seeds to a semi-fine powder. Add to the ghee and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Tumble the grated carrots into the scented ghee. Cook, stirring every now and then, until slightly deepened in color, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in the milk, sugar and a good pinch of salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Twist the lid in place and ensure it is sealed (refer to the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid). Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Follow the guide again for quick-release of pressure, then carefully open and stand back!
• Place over high heat again. Stir in the powdered milk and currants and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. The halwa should have a puddinglike consistency. Sprinkle with the pistachios and serve either warm or cold.

Steps:

• Melt ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add milk and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
• Combine water and sugar in a bowl; stir to dissolve. Add to the saucepan with the carrots. Stir in raisins and cardamom. Cook and stir until raisins are plumped and mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Steps:

• Put the carrots, pierced cardamom pods and milk in a heavy-based pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hr, stirring frequently until the milk has evaporated.
• Heat the butter in a deep pan, and stir-fry the carrot mixture for about 15-20 mins until darkened in colour and it has lost its wet, milky appearance.
• Add the sugar, raisins and almonds or pistachios, and stir-fry the halwa for another 5 mins. Serve hot. Will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to six months.