GAJAR KA HALWA

GAJAR KA HALWA

(The Ultimate Winter Dessert)

Halwa finds its roots in the Arabic language and refers to many dense or compact desserts. Originally halwa was either flour-based or used various nuts with sugar, milk, and butter to create a nutty dessert. It is commonly believed that this kind of halwa was introduced to the settlers in India through trade with the Middle East and Asia Minor during the expansion of the Mughal Empire.

The shared food heritage between Pakistan and India is fascinating, we share the same food stories and love the same foods and can rightfully both lay claim to most foods as our own. This not only makes for a delightfully interesting dinner conversation with friends, but also makes for a common ground to share family recipes and stories.

Gajar ka halwa is a popular dessert all over Pakistan as well as in sub-continent  and often served at most festivals, in Weddings etc. This is a Winter dish and when the season starts with the fresh Carrots fill the Vegetable vendors, we also see many seasonal Vendors of this Halwa all over the country like Mashroom growth. Its aroma fills the streets where these eateries are located. Every Sweetmeat merchant or Mithai Wala prepares this Halwa like it is a religious entity. People really love this Halwa. The dish is popular among adults as well as children. In 300 grams of Gajar ka halwa, there are 268 calories (76 come from fat, 180 from carbohydrate and 16 from protein)

Gajar ka halwa also is known as gajorer halua, Gajrela, and Carrot Halwa is a carrot-based sweet dessert pudding from the Indian sub-continent. It is made by placing grated carrots in a pot containing a specific amount of water, milk, and sugar and then cooking while stirring regularly. It is often served with a garnish of almonds and pistachios. The nuts and other items used are first sauteed in ghee, a South Asian clarified butter.

The dessert is traditionally eaten during all of the festivals in India, mainly on the occasion of Diwali, Holi, Eid ul Fitr, and Rakhsha Bandhan. It is served hot during the winter

Who thought of adding sugar, milk, and ghee to carrots, simmering it until the milk dried and serving it as a delectable dessert? Legend has it that the Sikhs from Punjab introduced it to the house of the Mughals. The Emperors enjoyed its vibrant color, flowery aroma, and slightly chewy texture, and it gained popularity far and wide-spreading sweetness throughout the empire.

The Mughal Empire was spreading, and international traders were bringing in intriguing new goods for exchanges, barter, and purchase and the orange carrot is said to be one such treasure. Carrots were originally purple in color and were indigenous to Afghanistan for almost 5000 years. They came in colors such as red, yellow, black and white, but not orange, until the 17th century when the horticulturalists in the Netherlands decided to honor William of Orange, from the House of Orange, by creating an orange carrot. Though many believe that it was a coincidence; and the orange color was a mutation of the red and yellow carrot and had no significant link to the Royal House of Orange. This new orange carrot was sweeter, prettier and of a non-sticky variety, making it popular amongst the cooks.

The Mughal Empire was at its zenith, a dynasty that was splendid and modern and looking for a trade with the rest of the world. This orange carrot had already spread far and wide to Europe, Middle East, and of course now South Asia with the coming of the Dutch East India Company to the sub-continent in the 17th century.

The cooks in the subcontinent liked the newly imported carrot and the sweetness that came with it, and since it was an era when new cuisines were being developed by expert chefs and connoisseurs, this kind of carrot seemed to be of a perfect variety to be tried as the main ingredient in the halwa, with sugar, milk and butter, sans the flour and nuts.

The province of Punjab apparently took an instant liking to it and started developing innovative new recipes, sweet and savory. It was a vegetable that peaked as a winter harvest and its abundance in the glorious winters nudged the cooks to develop a hot delicious dessert best served any time of the day, before or after a meal, or as a side with Tea (chai or Doodhpati). Gajar ka halwa was an instant hit all over the Indian subcontinent, from pauper to prince.

Let us start preparing our Winter Delight with the name of ALLAH.

What we need for our Halwa:

1. Grated Gajar (Carrot)            1 Kg
2. Ghee (Clarified Butter)           250 Grams (Pure or Asli Ghee is preferred)
3. Sugar                                     350 Grams
4. Koya (Milk Solids)                   500 Grams
5. Almonds                                 125 Grams
6. Pistachio                                125 Grams
7. Ilaichi Powder (Cardamom)      1/2 Teaspoon

How We prepare: 

• • Wash and grate the carrots thoroughly.
    
    • Put the cooking pot on low-medium heat cook the carrots till the moisture evaporates.
    • Add Ghee (Clarified Butter), mix it together and then ad the Ilaichi Powder.
    • Turn the heat a bit high and mix it thoroughly.
    • Keep mixing.
    • Add sugar and mix again. sugar tends to ooze out moisture, so continue mixing the carrots till the grated carrots become translucent.
    • Now add half of the Khoya and dry fruit and mix again.
    • Add Kewra Essence (Optional).
    • Turn the heat on low and place a lid over the pot.
    • let it simmer/cook for 10 minutes. 
    • Take the lid off and sprinkle remaining Khoya on the surface and serve it hot or warm. 
     
   Our Gajar ka Halwa is ready to be served now. Enjoy it with family and friends. Try this recipe now without any FEAR OF FAILURE and send your comments so that any improvement, if needed, may be carried out.
  
   

Thank you,

Thine Eternally,

NOVICE