This is a very easy dessert to make. Great to make when you have guests over. It can be prepared quite easily and quickly without any pre-planning. This recipe saves you the trouble of grating the carrots. (which is a pain!!)
Here, the carrots are slow cooked in sweetened milk and then garnished with fried nuts.
Payasam or kheer which are milk sweets are very easy to make……….. and this recipe using carrots are a refreshing change. This is slightly on the thicker side. If you want to make it thinner so you can drink from a glass, just add more milk and adjust the consistency as preferred.
Serves 2 to 3
INGREDIENTS:
carrots,peeled – 250g
milk – 1 and 1/2 cups
sugar – 1/4 cup
almonds, blanched and skin removed – 12
saffron – a small pinch soaked in 1 tbsp ht milk (optional)
cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
milk powder – 4 tbsps
ghee – 2 tbsps
cashewnuts – 6
raisins – 6
PROCESS:
- Boil or steam the carrots well till a knife glides in with ease. I used a pressure cooker.
- Next, using a blender grind the carrots and almonds together to a smooth paste. You can add some milk to help.
- In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the ghee. add the cashewnuts and fry on low flame. Once they start to brown add in the raisins. They will plump up immediately. Remove the cashewnuts and raisins from the ghee and keep aside on a plate.
- Next, to the remaining ghee, add in the carrot and almond paste. Saute for a minute or two on low flame.
- Then, add in the milk and sugar and simmer. keep stirring so the bottoms don’t burn.
- When the milk has reduced and you have reached the required consistency, add in the milk powder, cardamom powder and saffron milk. Using a whisk, nicely mix till there are no lumps from the milk powder.
- Remove from flame and garnish with the fried cashewnuts and raisins. Serve cold or hot.