savitha's Notes:
Expand5 cups Shredded Carrots Ask a question about this ingredient
10 cups whole milk Ask a question about this ingredient
2 cups white sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 cups Ghee Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon fresh cardamom powder Ask a question about this ingredient
In a large, heavy bottomed vessel, add milk and carrots. The milk will boil, so there should be plenty of room for overflow. A large dutch oven is ideal.
Ask a question about this stepBring milk to a boil and then reduce to medium heat. Watch carefully and stir often until 90 percent of the milk is absorbed. The milk should not be allowed to stick to the sides of the pan. This will take about 2 hours. If you short change this step, the carrots will have a raw "salad" like flavor to them. This is a good time to catch up on Ab Exercises or Mad Men episodes.
Ask a question about this stepAdd sugar and continue to stir. Do not let any part of the halwa sit still or form a crust in the pan. Stir for 25-30 minutes. Your biceps will look good. The halwa should be a deep red color and there should be no liquid in the pan.
Ask a question about this stepAdd ghee and stir for about 30 minutes (you are almost done) until the butter is fully absorbed. The stirring at this stage becomes critical because the carrots are now candied and will burn if left unattended. There should be no liquid left in the pan. The halwa will be loose and crumbly.
Ask a question about this stepRemove from heat and mix in cardamom powder.
Ask a question about this stepRoast cashews and raisins in a small saucepan until the raisins plump slightly and the nuts turn golden brown. Remove from heat immediately. Garnish or mix into the halwa. Serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.
Ask a question about this stepAbsolutely! You could absolutely cut it in half, which would reduce the length of time necessary for stirring. The quantities are large because it is usually made for large gatherings and celebrations, so that many people can enjoy the fruits of hard labor. :)
Sounds so good! Can this be made in smaller quantities? For example, could I cut the recipe in half? I so want to make it!! Thank you. ;o)
Chef Michael Kiss is the Cooking Coach at Whole Foods Market in Rockville, Md.
Good lord! And I thought risotto was labor intensive! Still, I saved this; got to try it.