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1 kg carrots
2 liters whole milk
200 g granulated sugar
100 g ghee* or unsalted butter
1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
1 tablespoon melon seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon raisins, soaked in water
for 10 minutes, then drained
To serve:
basundi (see below)
4 mint sprigs
2 tablespoons chopped pistachio nuts
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Method:
Peel and grate the carrots, set aside.
Pour the milk into a large sauté pan or other wide pan, bring to the
boil and simmer, stirring often, until reduced to almost 1 liter; this
will take about an hour.
Add the grated carrots to the reduced
milk and return to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer,
stirring frequently, for about 1 hour until all the milk has
evaporated. Add the sugar and simmer, stirring, to dissolve.
Continue to cook, stirring, until the carrots are quite dry. Add
the ghee or butter and sauté well for 20-25 minutes. Stir in the
cardamom powder, toasted melon seeds and raisings, then remove from
the heat.
To serve, spoon the halwa into lightly
greased 6-7cm cutters on individual plates. Smooth the surface
to shape neatly, then carefully lift off the cutters. Top each
serving with a spoonful of basundi and a mint sprig. Scatter
chopped pistachios around the halwa. Serve warm.
Basundi: Put 2 liters whole
milk in a large sauté pan or other wide pan. Bring to the boil
and simmer for about 1½ hours, stirring frequently, until reduced
to one-third of the original volume. Add 150 g sugar and simmer
for 3-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Add ½ teaspoon
green cardamom powder and ¼ teaspoon saffron threads. Serve
chilled.
*Ghee: This clarified
butter has long been the main cooking medium in north India, but with
a growing awareness of healthy eating, oil is taking its place.
I prefer to cook with vegetable oil and, if necessary, enrich the dish
at the end with butter or perhaps ghee. If you want to use ghee,
it is available in cans from supermarkets or Asian food shops.
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