Carrot Halwa - made with condensed milk (easy method)

Anyone who does not like carrots might start eating this one the minute you show! This is one of the perfect desserts to make when you really have less time to prepare. Carrot Halwa is an Indian sweet pudding made up of carrots, milk and ghee, added with some almonds/cashews/pistachios. These sweets are usually made during the festival seasons. But I end up making a lot of these specially when I get a chance to get more carrots. The color makes it an alluring dish and the nuts give it a nice crunch!

This is usually prepared with normal milk and sugar but in this recipe I substituted both with ready made condensed milk. I have tried this recipe with both the methods and I find this consume less time. Of course, the taste is always the best when you use normal milk. If you are using normal milk, I would advice you to add equal quantities of milk with the carrot you have taken. Add about 1/4 quantity of sugar or less as per desired. I would try to post the actual method as well.

Servings: 4-5

Time to make: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

cashews and almonds - 15 nos together (you may add more if desired)

ghee or butter - 3tbsp (add more is desired)

grated carrots - 2 big cups (shown below)

cardamom - 1tsp (powdered) or 1-2 numbers

Condensed milk - 300ml

How to do:

1. Shred the carrots and keep them aside.

2. Take a pan and add the ghee. If you do not have ghee, you can substitute with butter.

3. Once the butter/ghee is hot, add the cashew nuts and almonds and roast them well till golden brown in color. You may take them away from the pan and keep them aside if desired to retain the crunchiness but I just proceeded with the cooking once they were roasted.

4. Next, add in the grated carrots, allow them to cook in the butter. I dint add any water at this stage as I just closed the lid and let it cook in the steam. Remember carrots are tender and they cook really fast so you don't have to add any water. 

5. Once you see that the carrots are almost 80% cooked, add in the condensed milk and give it a nice stir. I have not added any sugar to this recipe as the condensed milk I used had enough sugar. 

6. You can add the powdered cardamom at this stage and give it a mix. 

7. Let the carrots get cooked completely in the condensed milk. Cook till the condensed milk reduces and dries up; with stirring regularly. Once the milk is evaporated, switch off flame. 

You may serve the Carrot Halwa either hot or cold. It tastes the best in both the ways. 

In this picture, I have tried not to completely evaporate the condensed milk in the Carrot Halwa to have some condensed milk in the recipe. Not completely evaporated and solid but tasted still the same! The next time you have some guests visiting you, make this and impress them.