Gajar Ka Halwa / Carrot Halwa.

Happy New Year 2014 Dear friends...

Carrots are delicious eaten raw in salads or cooked.

Winter n New Year go hand in hand in North India n some other parts of the world. 

Carrots belong to the Umbelliferae family, named after the umbrella-like flower clusters that plants in this family produce. As such, carrots are related to parsnips, fennel, parsley, anise, caraway, cumin and dill.  Carrot roots have a crunchy texture and a sweet and minty aromatic taste, while the greens are fresh tasting and slightly bitter. While we usually associate carrots with the color orange, carrots can actually be found in a host of other colors including white, yellow, red, or purple. In fact, purple, yellow and red carrots were the only color varieties of carrots to be cultivated before the 15th or 16th century.

Health Benefits

Carrots are perhaps best known for their rich supply of the antioxidant nutrient that was actually named for them: beta-carotene. However, these delicious root vegetables are the source not only of beta-carotene, but also of a wide variety of antioxidants and other health-supporting nutrients. The areas of antioxidant benefits, cardiovascular benefits, and anti-cancer benefits are the best-researched areas of health research with respect to dietary intake of carrots. 

 Let’s make my favorite Gajar Ka Halwa or Carrot Halwa. Its very easy n healthy too.


Gajar Ka Halwa / Carrot Halwa. 

 Ingredients..

2 cups grated carrot
1/4 cup Milk+ Cream
5 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
2 tbsp melted ghee

For the garnish
1 tsliced  cashewnuts (kaju) & Kishmish/ Raisins.

Method

1.In a karayi put 1 tbsp of ghee n add grated carrot.

2.When the color changes add milk+ cream n mix well.

3.Now add sugar n cook well.

4.When all juice evaporates then add cardamom pd n stir well.

5.Bring down from the fire.

Serve hot by  garnishing  with dry fruits like- sliced cashew nuts (kaju) & Kishmish/ Raisins.

Enjoy Sweet & hot Gajar ka halwa / Carrot Halwa.