Gajar Ka Halwa (With homemade Khoya)

 
Rich...sweet...delicious....and very popular in winter months specially in North India..... Gajar Ka Halwa, in my home, is usually made twice a month in winters. There are different ways of making it. It can be prepared in a simple way by using whole milk or can be made in a rich manner by adding condensed milk(milkmaid) or homemade mava(khoya). I decided to perpare with homemade mava as we always use to...and the result was fabulous... Here is my mom's recipe...
 
Ingredients: 

• • • 1 kg Carrot(red & big sized), peeled and grated
    • 1 litre Whole Milk or 1/2 gallon LandoLakes ' Half & Half '
    • 200 gms homemade Mava(Khoya) ( from 1/2 litre whole milk or 1/2 quantity Half & Half )
    • 2 cups Sugar
    • 1/4 cup Ghee, melted
    • 15 Cashewnuts & Almonds, soaked in hot water,peeled and slivered
    • 1 pinch Saffron, soaked in the water
    • 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
  • Directions: 
    
    To prepare Mava (Khoya): 
    1. Bring 1/2 litre Milk/1/2 quantity Half & Half  to boil in a heavy bottom saucepan.
    2. Reduce the heat and continue cooking at simmering point. Keep stirring so that milk does not stick to the base of the pan.
    3. As milk gets thicker stir more vigorously. The khoya is cooked when the milk is reduced to a thick, dry lump and it has stopped sizzling.
    4. Remove from the pan and leave it to cool. Use within fortnight.
  •  
  • To prepare Gajar Ka Halwa:
    1. Boil the remaining milk in a pressure cooker. Add grated carrots.
    2. Close and bring to one full pressure on high heat. Remove the cooker immediately from heat. Release pressure with slight lifting of vent weight. Open cooker and transfer the whole thing into wide thick bottomed skillet.
    3. Add mava. Cook on slow heat (approximately 15-20 minutes), stirring occasionally.
    4. Add sugar. Continue to cook and stir the carrot mixture till it dries.
    5. Add ghee. Cook till ghee shows separately (approximately 10 minutes), stirring constantly.
    6. Remove from heat when still moist.
    7. Stir in the saffron, cardamom powder and almonds.
    8. Serve hot.
    9. If not serving immediately, refrigerate carrot halwa and re-heat and serve when desired.

   

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