Recipe of the Week: Gajaar Halwa/Carrot Fudge (India)

You can still follow our Recipe of the Week, posted every Monday on the books blog - or follow our Facebook page and our Twitter feed to get automatic notifications. Don’t forget to check out the Global Vegetarian Kitchen page either.

I remember eating this carrot fudge in the cold Delhi winters when my mother used to work two jobs. The halwa was a special treat!

1 cup / 50 g shredded carrots

1 cup / 240 ml milk or 3/4 cup / 180 ml cream

2 tsp each of powdered cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

3 peppercorns

2 cloves

2-3 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup / 50 g pistachios or cashews, chopped

1 tbsp sultanas or raisins

3 tbsp oil or ghee

1 Put the shredded carrot and cream/ milk with the peppercorns and whole cloves in a saucepan.

2 Bring to a boil, lower the flame to a simmer and slowly cook the milk and carrots together until all the milk/ cream is absorbed. Keep stirring to stop the milk and carrots catching on the bottom of the pan. This should take around 25 to 30 minutes; add the sugar and stir to mix in.

3 Remove the peppercorns and cloves from the cooked carrot.

4 In a separate pan, fry the sultanas or raisins and nuts with 1 tablespoon of the oil/ghee and 1 teaspoon of the mixed powdered spices for a few minutes or until the nuts brown slightly. Set aside.

5 Now fry the cooked carrot plus the remaining 1 teaspoon of spices in the remaining oil/ghee. The carrot will turn a deep, rich reddish-brown color.

6 Next, stir in the fried nuts and raisins. Mix well. The fudge or halwa can be eaten hot or cold, alone or with ice cream.