Gajar Halwa - Sweet Beginning to the 7 day Blogging Marathon

Finally after months I am back to blogging again, motivated and inspired by Srivalli to join her 7 Day Blogging Marathon...
I was awed to read about her 31 days Marathon, which I could not join and had decided to join any such Marathons in future so that i get back to my blogging ways :))
So when she announced her 7 Day Blogging Marathon, I was game for it immediately.......
The best part about joining the Blogging Marathon is getting to know amazing fellow bloggers and their wonderful recipes....Added bonus is all of us have to visit each others blogs and comment... This exercise will go a long way in bettering our respective blogs...Personally for me, due to personal and work commitments, I was completely inactive from blogging for months.. so this was the best motivation to get back to blogging again with a bang :))

Here's wishing All the very Best to My wonderful fellow bloggers participating in this 7 Day Blogging Marathon :
Azeema, Bhagi, Champa, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Harini, Jay, Meena, Minu, Padma,
Pavani, PJ, Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, Shanavi,
Smitha, Sowmya, Srivalli, Suma, Usha, Veena

" Maa Kehti Hain Achchye Kaam Ki Shuruwat Hamesha Meethe se Hoti hain......Toh Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye" .......
( The literal translation of this Hindi sentence is : Lets begin with something sweet....as my mother says that before beginning any good work one should always have something sweet)
So in true Hindi film style, kick starting the Blogging Marathon with a desert - The famous "Gajar Ka Halwa" which is eaten by any and every hero made by his mother to commemorate any joyous occasions in Hindi films...be it the hero returning home or clearing his B.A. exams in first class... the "Gajar Ka Halwa" is mandatory :))

My theme is Special Choice (One dish from all below daily) -

Rice Dishes
Kid friendly Recipes
Starters
Sweets
Street Food
Specialty Regional Cuisine

From other blogs

So, Day One of the Blogging Marathon is "Sweets"

So, without further ado, sharing my mothers recipe for " Gajar Ka Halwa" or Carrot Halwa

Gajar Ka Halwa

Ingredients :
Grated Carrots - 2 cups
Milk - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tablespoons
Sugar - 1/2 cup (more or less to be adjusted as per individual tastes)
Khoya - 1/2 cup
Nutmeg / Jaiphal powder - 1/4 teaspoon

For garnishing -
Cashews - 10 / 12

Method:

Wash the carrots and peel the skins if carrots are muddy. Otherwise slice off the carrot head and grate the carrots with the skins.
Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan / kadhai.
Add the grated carrots in ghee and stir.
Cover with a heavy lid and let the carrots get cooked for some time till they become very soft.
Add milk slowly and keep on stirring.
Do not add the entire milk in one go.
Keep on adding milk as required.
Heat a separate pan and add khoya and stir continuously. This will prevent lumps for forming and also make it easier for the khoya to be absorbed in the mixture. Adding frozen khoya from refrigerator will make it difficult for the cold khoya to be absorbed.
Do not increase the heat for the khoya and stir continuously less the khoya will get burnt and become brown/black in color.
Cover with a lid after adding khoya to the carrot-milk mixture and let it cook for 15/20 mins.
When the khoya, carrots and milk become one, then add sugar.
Sugar should also be added as per personal tastes and requirements.
It is better to add some sugar initially and then increase the sugar as per taste.
After adding sugar in the mixture, cover the pan with a heavy lid and let it cook on a slow flame for close to one hour.
Stir in between and check the mixture otherwise if unchecked the mixture will start getting burnt.
When the entire sugar has dissolved and the milk & khoya has been absorbed then turn the heat off.
Add Nutmeg / Jaiphal powder to the halwa after turning off the heat.
Garnish with cashews and serve.

Gajar ka Halwa may be either served hot with ice-cream or can be refrigerated and served chilled.
Personally I feel it is better to prepare "Gajar Ka Halwa" a day in advance and let it sit for one day. The next day it tastes even better.

So, serving "Gajar ka Halwa" for Day One of the 7 Day Blogging Marathon.....

Come back tomorrow for the next recipe.....