With the arrival of the winter season, pumpkin pudding (Gajar Ka Halwa) becomes a favorite dessert in many homes. Although the real season for red carrots has not yet arrived, a pudding that is no less delicious can be made from the orange carrots currently available in the market. Many people avoid making this dish at home due to the lack of dry milk (mava) or fear of the long process of grating and boiling carrots, preferring to buy expensive ready-made products in stores. If you also do not want to use dry milk, we advise against buying products that may be counterfeit.
Thanks to a simple trick using thick milk, clarified butter (desi ghee), and ground almonds, you can make homemade pumpkin pudding that is as tender and grainy as in a confectionery. This pudding is not only delicious but also pure and nutritious.
Ingredients
The following components are needed for preparation: 1 kilogram of red carrots (grated or finely chopped), 1 liter of whole milk, 15-20 almonds (boiled, peeled, and coarsely ground), 1 cup of sugar (to taste), 3-4 tablespoons of clarified butter (desi ghee), and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom. Sliced nuts such as cashews and pistachios are used for decoration.
Simple Preparation Method
In a pot with a thick bottom or in a slow cooker, bring the grated carrots together with 1 liter of whole milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the volume of milk has reduced by half, add the paste made from boiled and coarsely ground almonds. This almond paste gives the pumpkin pudding a creamy and grainy texture even without using dry milk.
After all the milk has evaporated, add the sugar. When adding the sugar, the pudding will release some moisture, so it needs to be cooked until completely dry. Then add 3-4 tablespoons of clarified butter and fry for 5-7 minutes. When the butter starts to separate from the pudding and the color becomes deep red, add the ground cardamom and sprinkle with sliced cashews and almonds on top, then turn off the heat. The hot pumpkin pudding is ready to serve!