Normally Indian sweets are just... well, sweet. This is not exactly an exception but it has a lot of flavour, from the sweetness and the texture of the carrots, the spicy cardamom and the caramelised milky cream.
It's the only Indian sweet I have ever tried to make, and this was my third attempt. The recipe comes from Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook.
It's not really complicated - fry off some coarsely grated carrots (about 500-600g) in some ghee until the liquid has evaporated, then quickly stir in milk powder, simple syrup and cream, and cook, stirring, until it forms a mass. Then just spread it in a tray and wait for it to solidify.
It ends up a bit like fudge - but a very lurid orange kind of fudge!
Hello disingenuous mountebank,
ReplyDeleteI entered in the WHB and came over to have a nosy at your dish. I admire the fact that you attempted this dish, I have always avoided it as I hvave been told its time consuming. Your version is so much simplified, so I must try it. Thank you for sharing. And I love the colour of it.
Thanks Mangocheeks - here is the recipe I used - and it *is* time consuming, but only the last stage - it's all stirring!
ReplyDeleteMakes about 20 pieces
60g (2 oz) ghee
500g (1 lb) carrots
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup cream
4 tablespoons dried milk powder or Khoa (page 22)
2 tablespoons slivered blanched almonds or pistachios
edible silver leaf to garnish, optional
Heat ghee in heavy saucepan, add washed and grated carrots and cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring. Cover and turn heat very low. Cook until carrots are soft and almost all the liquid has evaporated. While carrots are cooking, make a syrup with the sugar and water. Add syrup to carrots along with cream and khoa or milk powder. Stir vigorously to blend all the ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is dry and comes away from the pan in one mass. Turn on to a greased dish, allow to cool. Decorate top with slivered almonds and pistachios and, if liked, silver leaf. Cut in diamond shapes or squares to serve.