Carrot Halwa/ Gaajar ka Halwa; quick and healthy version

Happy New Year to all of you. To start off the year on a sweet note, I rustled up together some carrot Halwa or gaajar ka Halwa as it is popularly known. This is akin to a pudding where in shredded carrot is cooked with milk or milk solids, sugar and clarified butter. This is a winter delicacy. I remember the last time which was basically my first time making carrot halwa. It was almost 25 years ago on New Year’s eve, where I spent half the night cooking the carrots, waiting for it to reduce. You guys know that I am not a person for long drawn process. I never ventured to make it again until now. This time I used a quick technique which was basically a trial and error which worked out well. I bought shredded carrots which I pressure cooked with condensed milk which I then cooked on stovetop for a few minutes and reduced the liquid. Add in some raisins , nuts and clarified butter and Viola! Gaajar ka Halwa is ready!

You must try this technique to see the ease of making it. You will never use any other methods.

Servings: 3-4

Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 45 minutesTotal time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients:

Shredded carrots: 4 cups

Condensed milk: 1 can

Clarified butter/ghee: 2 tbsp 

Cardamom powder: 1/8 tsp

Raisins: 2 tbsp

Nuts: 2 tbsp, chopped. ( I used slivered almonds)

Method:

In a pot take the shredded carrots and condensed milk. Cook this in a pressure cooker. It takes about 15-20 minutes. Turn off the pressure cooker. Open only after the steam is completely released.

Now cook on medium high on stove top, stirring intermittently until the liquid is almost gone. Reduce flame to low. 

When the carrots are cooking, lightly toast the raisins and nuts in 1 tsp clarified butter. Add this to the above pot with the remaining clarified butter. Mix well. Add the cardamom powder. Stir. Turn off the flame. 

Garnish with pieces of nuts. 

Stays fresh for upto 1 week in the refrigerator.

Serve warm as is or with ice cream!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Regular milk/evaporated milk or heavy cream can also be used. You can also pressure cook using water and then add milk solids such as mava.

Tip for healthy living:

Desserts are best eaten in small quantities just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth and prevent you from craving it.

Food for thought:

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, to have the life that is waiting for us. E.M. Foster

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Cabbage-Carrot Kosumbari ( salad); Meatless Monday

Vegetables form the biggest portion of my plate for every single meal! You could say that I fill myself with veggies!Almost all of my meals have a salad included. Our traditional Indian salads are known as kosumbaris and are not only tasty but extremely healthy with minimal amount of fat in it. One of the regular kosumbaris that Amma ( mother) used to make was the carrot or cabbage Kosumbari. My mother cooks the healthiest meals!! She always drummed into us the importance of vegetables! Of course, she is a vegetarian! She would urge me to eat carrots because it is good for the eyes! I would protest/ resist, do everything I could so as to not eat it! But like they say: Mother knows best! Now I religiously make them an integral part of my meals in a quest to better my health!

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Grated carrots: 1 cup ( about 2 medium sized carrots)
Shredded cabbage: 1 cup ( small piece of cabbage, chopped /shredded )
Green chilli: 1 small, finely chopped
Lemon juice: 1-2 tbsp ( 1/2 medium lemon)
Freshly grated coconut: 1 tbsp ( optional)
Salt to taste
Cilantro ( coriander leaves) : 1 tsp for garnishing.

For tempering :

Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Hing ( asofoetida)powder: a pinch

Method:

In a bowl, mix together shredded cabbage, grated carrots, freshly grated coconut, chopped green chilli,lemon juice & salt.

Tempering:

Heat coconut oil in a small frying pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add curry leaves and hing. Turn off the flame immediately. Add it to the above bowl and mix well.

Garnish with cilantro( coriander leaves).

Serve as an accompaniment to any meal or enjoy it just like that!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

This salad can be made with just shredded cabbage or grated carrots too. If using both, then the proportion of each one can be varied based on individual taste and preference. I have used equal amounts of cabbage and carrot.

Tip for healthy living:

My mother was right! Carrots are a great source of beta carotene! Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in the liver which in turn is transformed into rhodopsin in the retina. Rhodopsin is essential for night vision! Hence, yes, carrots help improve vision! Beta carotene has  also proved important for preventing macular degeneration and senile cataracts.

Carrots are also purported to have anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. Vitamin A is also important for healthy, glowing skin.

Food for thought:

Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship-never. Charles Caleb Colton