GAJAR KA HALWA - SWEET SIN FROM NORTH INDIA BY SOUMYASHREE CHATTERJEE

(c) Can Stock Photo

For a bong the ultimate high is that which is sugar induced. Bred and brought up on a diet which always ended with rashogolla sandesh or mishti doi, coming to delhi I was always skeptical of how I would be indulging my sweet tooth. All pessimism and worry ended when I made acquaintance with that orange colored delicacy called gajar ka halwa. A sinful sweet morsel dipped in ghee that melts in your mouth, even a diehard sweet fanatic from the land of sweets can only close his eyes and enjoy in the pleasures it offers.

Gajar ka halwa is typical north India desert that is found in the meals of people from northern India and Pakistan. Being of vegetarian origins and being of medium shelf life work this works as an excellent option as a dessert and today is even being exported. As a combination of milk, sugar khoya, ghee and grated carrot it is a light and at the same time nutritive dessert.

Gajar ka halwa finds its origins in the Mughal court. It is found to be similar to many Punjabi halwas and hence there is speculation if the origin is from that region of the sub-continent. The origin of the name however is based out of the Arabic word halwa, meaning sweet. While there are various variants of the halwa, milk based and mawa based are the primary two variants of this dish.

Carrot is an excellent source of vitamin a. it also has high dietary fibers and a fair amount of carbohydrates.  It also is pretty low in fat content with an average of only 10%. In fact for a dessert, a 300 gm serving affords only about 286 calories making it a good option when seeking to make a dessert that is also high in nutrient value.

To make this yummilicous savior of my palate in Delhi we will start with gathering of the ingredients and that starts with the carrots. The fresh reddish orange carrots that are typical of the north Indian markets are ideally suited for making this dish, giving it the right colour and juiciness to the dish. To make this dish we will start with the following ingredients:

• Carrots – 1 kg
• Sugar – 500 gms
• Whole Milk – 750 ml
• Ghee – 10 table spoons
• Cashew nuts – 15-20
• Almonds – 12-15 (optional for garnishing)
• Cardamom powder – 1 tea spoon
• Khoya- 400 to 500 gms

In preparation wash the carrots thoroughly, scrape the outer peel of the carrots and then grate it thoroughly and set it aside. Soak the almonds and cashew nuts in warm water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Now peel the skin of the almonds and cut them into thin slivers. Chop the cashew nuts also and set aside. Now take a heave bottomed pan and heat a table spoon of ghee and roast the chopped nuts till they turn golden brown and then set aside. Add more ghee, about 4 table spoons in the pan again heat it and now add the grated carrot.

 Take your time as you sauté the grated carrots for about 15 to 20 minutes on a slow low flame. Once we have sautéed the grated carrot completely the raw smell of carrots go off and the colour changes. Now add the milk to the carrot and slowly stir for about 15 20 minutes, till the milk starts to get dense and thick. Now crumble the khoya spread it over the pan and mix thoroughly, taking care that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Now add the sugar and continue heating and the water leaves till the consistency of the mix becomes pretty loose. Continue cooking over a low flame, till the consistency starts increasing. About 15 minutes of such cooking will lead to the caramelisation of the carrot milk khoya mixture. This will increase the consistency to the extent of making the mix sticky. Ideally about 15 minutes of such cooking is required. Now add the remaining ghee of about 5 table spoons to the mix, followed by the cardamom powder and the roasted cashew nuts that have been set aside earlier. Mix evenly and cook for about 5 more minutes till it comes together as a single mass. Switch of the flame and transfer to a bowl.

 To serve make individual portions and garnish using the slivers of the almonds that was made earlier. It is best served hot when the smell of the warm ghee titillates your senses as a precursor to what is to follow when you are savoring a mouthful of the delicacy.

In every dish that I have made I have found that my mother’s secret ingredient has always made the difference in making a good dish into extraordinary. However in a sweet dish the essence of love is that much more for love is probably the sweetest feeling around. So when making a dessert my mother’s advice has always been to make it as a celebration of all things good. And so I tell you to add in a dash of love that is more than what you would in a normal cook, sprinkle a little more smile than you would normally do, and when you eat feel the warmth rush through your buds and take you to a high like no other. Bon appétit.