Microwave Gajar Ka Halwa/Carrot Halwa & Giveaway

Yesterday, Lil’M wants to go out and I had no idea where to take her. I thought of taking her to park…but it was very sunny…then I thought I will take her to vegetable market…but she won’t enjoy going there….finally I decided to take her to ‘Total Mall’ which is near to my place and I can buy needed grocery and vegetables too. We had our lunch little early and left to mall.

Being week day, there was no rush. I took my time roaming all around the mall with Lil’M who was happily enjoying sitting in the shopping trolley. After doing my window shopping for props, I stopped at the vegetable counter. I like neatly arranged fresh fruits and vegetables in the malls. After picking up fruits in the season, I picked up some vegetables too. Slender, long and pink colour carrots caught my attention. They look so beautiful…blushing with pink…I packed a klilo right there. After going around the clothes section and buying around the necessary grocery…I completed my shopping for the day. By this time…Lil’M was also exhausted and wanted to go home. So on the way we packed up some donuts and returned home.

By the time we reached home, Lil’M dozed off…I tucked her in the bed and made some tea to soothe my senses and started arranging the things in the pantry. Then when I was keeping the carrots in the fridge, I thought of making halwa with those beauties. As I was going to visit a friends place on weekend, I thought I will make halwa and carry with me to give her as she loves gajar ka halwa.

By the time I grated the carrots, Lil’M got up from her power nap and I went to attend her wondering how I am going to make halwa??? After sometime when Lil’M got busy playing around and watching her favourite ‘Tom & Jerry’…I rushed into the kitchen to make halwa….but lil’M kept on bugging me to play with her...as I can’t avoid her…I thought of giving a try to make gajar ka halwa  in microwave. So for the first time, I made gajar ka halwa in microwave.

These cute ramekins were gift from Deepa.

If you know my blog from the beginning then you may know my fondness towards gajar ka halwa. The soft, crunchy and juicy carrots when cooked in milk, ghee and sugar…along with aromatic cardamom powder…..the result is droolicious. Yet gajar ka halwa is my second favourite recipe in the favourite recipe series….where I am celebrating my love for food this Valentine’s month. I loved making this in microwave as it took less effort and I don’t even need to stand long in the kitchen stirring all the time.

When I packed this and carried to a friend, she was very happy to see her favourite sweet and happier to knew that it was made in microwave with minimal effort. So here is the recipe, which involves simple steps in making this gorgeous dessert.

Linking this gajar ka halwa to Priya's Valentine's Day Recipe Contest at her blog Priya's Versatile Recipes, Pari's Cooking For My Valentine @ her blog Foodelicious where she is giving away gift coupon from Couponation and to 'I Must Make That' Cuponation Giveaway at Manasai's A Cook @ Heart.

INGREDIENTS:

3 long pinkish winter Carrots, peeled and grated

1 cup Sugar

1½ cups low-fat Milk

½ tbsp. Cardamom powder

3 tbsp. Ghee

2-3 tbsp. silvered Almonds

Silver foil (Chandi Ka Varq)

PREPARATION:

• In a microwave safe bowl add ghee and add grated carrots. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
• Now add milk and stir gently. Microwave on high for another 5-6 minutes, stirring for every two minutes.
• Add cardamom powder and sugar. Stir again. Now microwave for another 5-6 minutes on high or until the carrots turn soft and milk is completely absorbed.
• Take another microwave safe bowl and add 1 tbsp. ghee and silvered almonds. Microwave on high for one minute or until the color of the silvered almonds slightly change.
• Now add this to the above halwa and decorate with silver foil. Serve hot or chilled.
• Last but not least add your 'love' to make the dish 'YUMMY'.

NOTES:

• When I peeled and grated the carrots, they made 2 cups to me.
• Adjust sugar according to your taste. Remember if you are using long pink carrots then you need little less sugar compared to normal carrots.
• When you add sugar, the mixture turns watery. Microwave till all the water is absorbed.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• You can serve Gajar ka halwa/Carrot ka halwa with gulab jamuns.
• You can serve with vanilla ice cream too.
• You can even grease a baking tray with ghee and pour in gajar ka halwa. When it turns cool, cut into pieces or roll into balls and garnish with pistachio or almonds or cashews. Serve as fudge.
• You can even serve hot gajar ka halwa with piping hot roti’s/phulka’s.
• Last but not least add your 'love' to make the dish 'YUMMY'. 

GIVEAWAY:

Now time to Guess & Win contest….as I mentioned in my earlier post that I am going to celebrate this Valentine’s Month with three of my favourite recipes in honor of my love for food….I have already posted two recipes. Guess my third favourite recipe and win a copy of Cooking With Love cookbook by Sanjeev Kapoor. This giveaway is open worldwide. To enter giveaway just drop down your answer in the comment section. You get only one chance to answer.

You can check the details of the book at amazon. Giveaway ends on 27/Feb/2013.

FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

Follow my blog through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and RSS.