Gajar Ka Halwa

If you have a weakness for desserts and are born with a sweet tooth, then this dessert is definitely the answer to your dilemma. Prepared with carrots and milk, gajar ka halwa is healthy, delicious and high in nutrients.

Furthermore, this dessert allows you to customize with your own choice of additions. You can add any of the dry fruitsof your choice. Besides, if your kids don’t like to eat carrots, you can provide them with an alternative in the form ofgajar ka halwa. Just make a batch and store it in your storage container, so you can have it when you feel like.

Health Benefits:

Carrot has endless health benefits for us humans. The colors of carrots are because of the antioxidants present in them called carotenoids. This antioxidant boosts up the immunity in the body and protects our skin and improves our eyesight. Carrots also help fight free-radicals that can cause chronic diseases.

Consumption ofcarrots shows a dramatic drop in cholesterol level and prevents heart diseases. It also lowers blood pressure, helps digestion, and prevents cancer.

Following is the nutritional chart of Gajar Ka Halwa:

Energy                  523 cal

Protein                 35 g

Carbohydrates  56 g

Fiber                     18 g

Fat                         18 g

Cholesterol        0 mg

Ingredients

liters milk: 1 1/2

tbsp ghee: 5-7

tbsp raisins: 2

tbsp dates (chopped): 2

kg carrots: 1

green cardamoms: 8

tbsp sugar: 5-7

tbsp almonds(shredded): 1

tbsp walnuts: 1

tbsp cashew nuts: 1

How To Make Gajar Ka Halwa

1. Begin by washing, peeling and grating the carrots.
2. In a pot, pour milk, grated carrots with cardamom. Bring the milk to boil and simmer it onreduced flame until the liquid evaporates. This takes approximately10-15 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a heavy pan, heat ghee and add the carrot mix. Stir for a few minutes and cover. Leave it to cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove the lid, add sugar and stir some more. Leave it to cook for 10-15 minutesor until the carrots change color too deep dark red.
5. Garnish with raisins, dates, walnuts, cashew nuts, and almonds.
6. Serve hot or cold!

Trivia:

• In the beginning of times, people use to grow carrots as a medicine for treating variety of ailmentsand not as a food.
• The first nation thought to have cultivatedcarrots was Afghanistan. It then spread to other parts of the world.
• While other vegetables turn to mush in winter if not dug out, carrots cover themselves with light frost, without getting frozen, an survive all winter.
• 88% of a carrot is water.
• While the most widelyavailablecolors of carrots are orange and red. This vegetable can also be found in white, purple, and yellow.
• We all know Bugs Bunny and his love for carrots. Surprisingly, Mel Blanc, the voice behind the famous cartooncharacterdid not like carrots.