Carrot Halwa ( Gajar Ka Halwa)

 Ingredients: 

1. 1 kg / approx 4 cups Carrots (red & big sized), peeled and grated
2. 1 litre / approx 4 cups Whole Milk
3.  Mava(Khoya)( homemade from 1/2 litre whole milk)
4.  Sugar 2 Cups
5. 1/4 cup Ghee, melted
6. 15 Cashewnuts / Almonds/Raisins
7. 1 pinch Saffron ( optional)
8. 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder

How To Cook

To prepare Mava(Khoya):

1. Bring 1/2 litre / 2 cups Milk to boil in a heavy bottom saucepan.
2. Reduce the heat and continue cooking at simmering point. Keep stirring so that milk does not stick to the base of the pan.
3. As milk gets thicker stir more vigorously. The khoya is cooked when the milk is reduced to a thick, dry lump .
4. Remove from the pan and leave it to cool.

To prepare  Halwa

1. Boil the remaining milk in a pressure cooker. Add grated carrots.
2. Close and bring to one full pressure on high heat. Remove the cooker immediately from heat. Release pressure with slight lifting of vent weight.Add the prepared carrot to a thick bottomed pan.
3. Add mava. Cook on medium heat (approximately 15 minutes), stirring occasionally.
4. Add sugar. Continue to cook and stir the carrot mixture till it dries.
5. Add ghee. Cook till ghee shows separately (approximately 10 minutes), stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat when still moist.
7. Stir in the saffron, cardamom powder and Almonds/ Cashewuts/ Raisins.
8. Serve hot.