Carrot halwa is a sweet delicacy typical in Indian kitchens, especially during winter. Because of its heavenly taste and invigorating health benefits, this dish has now gained world popularity. Easy to cook with ingredients readily available in the market, one quickly falls in love with this recipe, often calling it a’ ‘the favorite dish’ to finish the main meal. Make it daily as a dessert or a unique item at a party; one can overindulge without Guilt filling as it is tasty and healthy.
Health benefits of carrot halwa
The main ingredient in the carrot halwa is carrot. This contains beta carotene, which gets metabolized into’ ‘retinol’ or vitamin A. Vitamin A is a group of antioxidants beneficial for our eyes as it protects them against ultraviolet rays from the sun and thus prevents cataracts. It also helps in rhodopsin production, which is responsible for night vision. Vitamin A is also required for specific immunoglobin synthesis responsible for respiratory and intestinal immunity. It is also suitable for hair and skin.
The second ingredient in carrot halwa is milk. The milk I have used in my recipe is full-fat milk. The reason is that vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which is absorbed only in the presence of oil and fats. So besides facilitating vitamin A absorption from carrots, milk is a good source of calcium. It keeps bones healthy and is rich in K, B12, and Vitamin D.
The third ingredient I have used is date jaggery which is a much healthier version of white sugar. Where white sugar gives empty calories, Date Jaggery contains nutrients like iron, magnesium, potassium, and dietary fibers. Also, it is free of chemicals and bleach.
The fourth ingredient used in carrot halwa is clarified butter or ghee. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, ghee eases muscle and joint pain during winter. It also protects against chest infection in the winter season.
Steps for making carrot halwa
Ingredients:
Carrots: 2kg
Milk (full fat): 1 lit
Clarified butter or Ghee: 2 tablespoons
Date jaggery: 100gm
Pistachios and Cashew nuts: to garnish
First, thoroughly clean the carrots in water to remove any dirt or soil over them. Then with the help of a peeler, remove the outer layer over carrots and ensure that no soil is present in groves over the surface. Then grate the carrots. I use a food processor for this as it saves time.
Boil one liter of milk in a pan and keep it aside. Cut pistachios and cashew nuts into fine pieces. Dry roast it with little ghee in a pan if you like the roasted taste, or leave it raw if you want its original nutty flavor, as I have done, and keep it aside.
Transfer all grated carrots to a deep frying pan or Kadhai, and add boiled milk. Place it over the burner and mix the carrot and milk well with a spatula. Cook the carrots in milk till the milk is dry. Continuously stir while cooking on high heat, as carrots can stick to the pan due to overheating. Or cook it on low heat with occasional stirring. It will take about 20 minutes in high heat and 40 to 45 minutes in low heat.
Add 2 tbsp of clarified butter or ghee to the cooked carrot and milk mixture and fry it for 3 to 5 minutes until it is fully absorbed.
At this stage, add date jaggery to the Kadhai, and mix it well till the jaggery completely gets dissolved and absorbed in it, with the color of the halwa becoming bright shiny orange. At this stage, stop the burner, and your mouth-watering carrot halwa is ready to be served!
The total calorie value of carrot halwa prepared is about 2100. It takes approximately ten servings, each with 210 calories.
I hope this information is helpful!
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