Carrot Kheer/Payasam- Carrot dessert in milk spiced up with Cardamom

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Some flavors blend so well you cannot tell them apart when together. Yet, together they are a flavor to reckon with. In the same way, if I served you the golden sunshine in the bowl below, and asked to describe its taste, you will be torn unable to decide if it is carrot halwa or semiya payasam.

The answer is right here on this page so please read on. You will agree with me on this when you go through the recipe. In the same breath I have to admit that it is better or equally good as carrot halwa or a payasam

I made this a month back and decided to post it only when I had some fresh carrot pictures to post alongside. Obviously, that never happened. The farmer's market doesn't have a good variety of veggies yet, and the carrots that I've planted this season are not ready for harvesting. Then again, when I remembered the bunnies that frequent my vegetable patch, I doubt they will leave any carrots for me to photograph. Everything considered, I decided today was the day to share this pleasantly surprising sweet delicacy with you. At a later time, provided the regular visitors in our yard, the Bunnies, leave some carrots for me to enjoy I shall share some pictures with you.

Speaking of carrots, did you know that most of the baby carrots we get in the US is processed, and "not so baby" carrots? I didn't know this until Sunitha mentioned it once. But there are some varieties that is "baby carrots, " albeit too expensive. The stats shows how consumption of carrots have grown exponentially post marketing baby carrots. And surely consumption shall soar once everyone knows how to make kheer or carrot halwa :-) You will agree 100 % after you have tasted some kheer yourself!

Ingredients:

Ghee- 2 Tbsp
Carrot grated- 2 cups
Milk- 2+1 cup
Sugar- 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Almond slivers- 2 Tbsp


Method:

1.Heat 2 Tsp ghee in a deep and thick bottom pan.Throw in the grated carrots and fry till it is cooked through.
2. Pour in 2 cups of milk and allow to boil.
3.Lower the heat and let the carrot get cooked well.Stir in between. It takes almost 10-12 minutes.
4.By this time almost all the water content will be dried, do not add more milk at this point.
5.Add sugar and start stirring continuously, on low heat.Continue this till all the water gets evaporated and the mixture gets thickened.While stirring if you are able to see the path of the spoon/spatula without the mixture running over there immediately, it is done. This takes ~10- 12 minutes on medium low heat.
6.Slowly add the remaining milk into it. The point is that the boiling shouldn't get stopped while you pour the cold milk.This can be done on high heat and stirring continuously, while you add around 1/3 cup of milk at a time.
7.Once you added the milk, it should be boiled well.Pour more milk to get the desired consistency.Add the cardamom powder. Switch off the heat.
8.Garnish with slivered almonds. Serve warm or cold.

Notes:

1. You could reduce the sugar and add some condensed milk instead.
2.Also you could add some evaporated milk along with the normal milk after you boil with the sugar.

Carrot Halwa

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I thought I will start with a sweet note to say hi to all of you. God, how much I missed you all and your yummy delights. India was wonderful with rains and lots of food.Still we are unpacking and settling back to normalcy.Kids are sick and we may not be able to upload everyday for some more days. Sunitha is shifting to a new place this weekend and she needs some time to settle in. I wish her all the very best in the new place and hope she will find out some new friends soon.



Ingredients;

Grated carrot- 2 1/2 cup
Milk- 2 Cups
Sugar- 1/3 cup or to your taste
Ghee/Clarified butter- 1/4 cup
Cardamom- 1/2 tsp
Nuts- for garnishing



Method:

1.Boil the milk in a pot till it gets reduced to 1/3rd of its quantity.Stir in between while doing this.
2.Heat a non sticky pan and add the ghee, throw in the grated carrot into this and saute for a few minutes on low heat.Keep stirring for a few minutes, until the carrot is cooked. This takes around 7-8 minutes.
3.Pour the evaporated milk over this and cook ,keeping the lid on for a few minutes.
4.Add the sugar and mix well.Continue to cook for some more minutes, or until tall the water content is evaporated.
5.Sprinkle the cardamom powder and mix well.
6.Take this in a serving plate and garnish with slivered almonds or any nuts and raisins.



We are happy to send this to Nivedita's event "celebrate sweets- Halwa "
Thanks for hosting such a cool event Nivedita :-)

Contributor: Namitha

Tri Delight

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  This is one of those dishes that nobody needs a recipe.  Nevertheless for someone out there who needs an idea for a variation from the regular this one is for you.  I like sauteed vegetables and I try them with different sauces.  Alternatively, to have with rice and curd I like to dig my Indian routes and do something closer  home.  That's when I avoid the sauces and add just chilies and enjoy them.  The following recipe with a variation of veggies and addition of soya bean sauce can very well be a Chinese dish.  This one though  is very comforting and enjoyable with rice, curd and pickle.  Love it!

Ingredients:

Beans - 30 nos
Potato - 2 medium size
Carrots - 2 medium size
Dry Red chili - 5 nos
Garlic - 5 pods
Black pepper - to taste
Salt -  to taste
Oil - 1 Tbspn
Water - 1/3rd cup

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the crushed garlic and red chili and saute for a minute or two till both express cooked aroma
2. Add in all the vegetables sliced small in equal shapes as much as possible
3. Saute a while and add 1/3 cup of water, salt and on a low flame cook till the potato is done
4. Once the potato is done without breaking them stir and add crushed black pepper if you need the saute to be more fiery to taste

Notes: Serve them with rotis or rice.
2. You could avoid the water and saute in only the oil by stirring.  This takes more time and patience but quite tasty
3. If you are not adding water you might need a little more oil
4. You may also add a shallot and curry leaves when you saute the red chili and garlic. 

Contributor: Sunitha

Carrot Cake

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I never thought of baking anything until I reached Germany a few years back.That was the first time I had an oven in my kitchen. My neighbor and wonderful friend, Barbara introduced me to baking. I really enjoyed her company, she is an amazing lady . I haven't met anyone like her till date. She wasn't fluent in English, but she refreshed her school lessons in English and always carried a German-English dictionary whenever we met. We are still in touch with her and I would love to meet her again if I happen to go to Germany.Thanks to her even my first cake came out well and that inspired me to do more ventures in baking :-)



This recipe is adapted from allrecipes.com and I made a smaller cake.Also for frosting I used only cream and a little bit sugar since my family doesn't like it to be too sweet :-)

Ingredients

Eggs- 2
Vegetable oil- 3/4 cup
White Sugar-1 Cup
Brown Sugar- 1/4 cup
Vanilla extract- 1 Tsp

All purpose flour/Maida- 1 Cup
Baking soda- 1Tsp
Baking powder- 1Tsp
Salt-1/4 Tsp
Cinnamon -1 Tsp
Grated carrots- 2 cups
Pecan pieces- 1/2 cup

For frosting

Heavy whip cream-1 cup
Confectioner's sugar- 2Tbsp
Vanilla extract-1 Tsp



Method.

1.Sieve together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2.Beat the eggs and sugar well. Add oil and vanilla extract and beat again.
3.Fold in this wet mixture into the flour mixture.Fold in the grated carrots and pecan pieces.
4.Meanwhile grease 2 square 9x2 pans and keep ready.Also preheat oven to 350 degree F.
5.Divide the mix into 2 greased pans equally.
6.Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of cake comes out clean.
7.Take out from the over and cool for a few minutes before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool down completely
8.Use both cakes as 2 layers or you could bake it in a thicker tray(for longer time) and divide them into 2 equal pieces.
9.Whip the cream in a bowl which is kept on ice or cool the bowl and whisk in the refrigerator prior to use.
10.When the cream starts forming spikes ,stop whipping and add a tbsp confectioner's sugar and mix for a minute followed by the next spoon of sugar and vanilla extract .
11.Spread evenly on the layers of cake and serve it chilled.
12.I do not have any cake decoration gadgets , so it doesn't look perfect but it tasted great :-)



Contributor:Namitha