Gajar ka Halwa.... (Carrot Pudding)

Yet another winter favourite desserts. Winters will be over in another 15 days, but the craze for the winter vegetables would still remain. I really relish the red carrots available in this season. I make sure that I use in all possible means in my meals. Made pickles, used it in mix vegetables, and the most popular way is halwa.
A rich and creamy desert with goodness of nuts and milk.
I have again made it in a traditional way just like moong dal halwa which was my previous posts.

Ingredients:
1 kg Carrot
1.5l milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 katori mixed dry fruits (almonds+ cashew nuts + raisins + chironji)
2 tbsp coconut shredded
1/2 kg khoya
2 tbsp ghee
6 tbsp sugar



Procedure:

• Shred all the carrots and keep aside.
• Take a wide pan or a kadahi. Pour in the milk.
• Let the milk boil add in the cardamom powder.
• When the milk starts boiling, add in the shredded carrots.
• Let this cook for 40-50. so that the milk and the carrots are cooked well.
• After this add in the khoya + mix dry fruits
• Let this cook for another 20 minutes.
• After this add in the sugar..
• Let all this cook for another 30 minutes.
• Keep stirring the halwa from time to time so that it does not stick to the base.
• After all the milk has evaporated add ghee.
• Mix well.
• Let it cook for another 15 minutes.
• Serve hot.

I make this halwa in large quantity so tat it sits in my fridge for a good 4-5 days. And whenever I have sweet cravings I just need to warm it and devour it.

Moong dal halwa (Yellow lentils Desert)

Of all the halwas, Moong dal halwa is my favouirte. I just wait for the winters to make this delectable sweet which is rich in flavours.
This halwa helps us to keep our boday warm in winters, tats what our elders tell us.
This halwa requires a lot of patience while making, as the dal is cooked in ghee on low flame. The more you roast it well the more flavoursome it becomes.

Moon Dal Halwa

I guess you will get to taste this desert in alomost all the weddings and celebrations.

Ingredients
250gms Moong Dal
300gms (Khoya) or mawa
1 cup sugar (according to taste u can differ)
4 cups of water
1/2 cup ghee
9-10 almonds (chopped in flakes)
5-6 cashew nuts (chopped)
10-12 Raisins
2 tbsp chironji

• Soak the moong dal in enough water for 4-5 hrs preferably overnight.
• Take the dal, remove the water and blend the dal in the food processor.
• Now in a kadhai, melt the ghee. Once its done add in the grinded dal in it.
• Stir the dal well so that it does not stick to the base of the kadhai.
• Keep on stirrimg the halwa on a low flame till the raw smells of the lentil disapperas.
• The fat should get separated and the lentil changes its color.
• This whole process will take around 40-45 min.
• It can be more also.
• In order to save some time, I roast my khoya in a separte pan.
• For this you need to take a pan, and dry roast the khoya.
• After 45 minutes when the lentil is cooked properly, add in the roasted khoya in it.
• Mix them well and keep on stirring till the lentil and khoya is cooked properly.
• In the meanwhile prepare a sugar syrup with 4cups of water and 1 cups of sugar.
• When the sugar and water mixture starts boiling add in the halwa mixture.
• Mix well and keep on stirring.
• Add in the dryfuits.
• Let it cook for 15-20 minutes
• When the ghee starts appearing on top, this shows that the halwa is cooked well.
• Garnish it with almond flakes.
• Serve hot.

Onion Bhajiyas (Onion Fritters)

Winters have set in. In the evening you crave for everything that is hot and spicy along with a hot cup of tea or may be with a simple bowl of tamatar ka shorba.
This was one day, when I had a deep urge of making these wonderful cripsy bhajiyas to go along my hot bowl of shorba.
So I went in the kitchen wore my apron. and made these beauties in just 20 minutes.

Hope you all will enjoy making these too.

Onion Bhajiyas

Ingredients:
3-4 Onions (Finely sliced)
2 Green Chilies (Finely chopped)
1tsp Ginger (Finely chopped)
4tbsp Gramflour (Besan)
1tbsp Rice Flour
1tsp Carom seeds (aijwain)
Salt to taste
1tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
1tbsp Cumin Powder
1tbsp Coriander Powder
1tbsp Mango Powder
1tbsp Garam Masala
Chat masala to sprinkle over the bhajiyas once fried.

Procedure:

• Finely slice the onions. 
• Take a bowl, add in the sliced onions, green chilies and ginger.
• Add in all the dry masalas.
• Add in the gramflour and rice flour.
• Mix 
• Gradually add in water to make the batter
• The batter should be of medium thick consistency.
• Heat oil in a kadahi.
• Add spoonfull of batter in the hot oil.
• With the help of a slotted spoon flip the pakodas.
• So that i is cooked from both the sides.
• When the bhajiya is half cooked remove them from oil.
• Press it with the back of the spoon and fry again this will make the bhajiyas really crispy.
• Do the same with the remaining batter.
• Sprinkle the bhajiyas with chat masala powder.
• Serve hot with green chutney.