carrot halvah

[Celeste]

When recovering from malaria in India several years ago, I stayed in a home in Delhi for a few weeks where the cook made carrot halvah, an Indian dessert I had never heard of before. Both my boyfriend and I had had been very very sick, very very far from home, and something so homecooked and delicious brought tears to my eyes.

I still haven't found a satisfactory recipe for this delight to recreate here in America - for people not famiiliar, it's like a hot pudding made from grated carrot, fresh cardamom, hot milk, sugar, and either pistachios or almonds. It's not even offered in Indian restaurants that I've noticed.

I hear it may be a doomed pursuit since Indian carrots and American carrots are apparently very different beasts. Certainly the one time I have tried from a recipe, it did not work whatsoever.

Anyway, thought I would try this shot in the dark to Chowhoundland. Has anyone ever made this successfully?

[Ciaolette]

I have a friend who makes this (with american carrots) and it is amazing, though not having tried it in India I can't say if as wonderful as yours. I think, as with any of the indian milk sweets it is in the cooking...very very slow and low heat and with a heavy pan. I will see if I can get the recipe! Good Luck

[ironmom]

There's a recipe for Carrot Halva with Raisins in Passionate Meals by Ismail Merchant. The end product is cooked down until it is dryish and firm, like a candy rather than a pudding.

I recall having seen recipes like this before. Doesn't sound very much like what you're looking for.

[Denise B]

There is a recipe which sounds exactly like what you describe in th Asia; The Beautiful Cookbook under the India section. I've never yet made it, but, coincidentally, am cooking an Indian meal this Saturday, and it crossed my mind even before i saw your post. If I do make it I'll be sure to post the results on this page.

[Melanie Wong]

Celeste, i don't have a recipe for you, but you can get carrot halvah at Dasaprakash in Santa Clara. It's a favorite of SF Bay Area chowhounds and you'll find many favorable posts on the restaurant if you do a search on the board. I've linked one below.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Celeste]

Mm, that sounds good. I'm glad to know there's a restaurant that serves it within striking distance!

[scott duncan]

I came across a recipe for Carrot Halva in an old issue of Saveur that I was cutting up. I know it was from last year (2002) but I can't recall which month. I will try to remember to bring it back to work with me when I go home for lunch.

Recently I had a version at a party for physicians at one of the hospitals I work at. It was catered by a restaurant that I believe is in Riverside, CA. I really enjoyed it but I can't say how it would compare to what you had in India.

scott duncan

[scott duncan]

the saveur recipe goes like this:
4 tbsp butter
5 medium carrots peeled and grated (should make 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 C sugar
10 shelled raw cashews chopped
2 tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom, ground
18 blanched sliced almonds

Basically, you clarify the butter, use two tablespoons to brown the carrots over high heat, then add the half-and-half and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until thick (35-45 minutes according to the recipe).

While the carrot mixture is cooking fry the cashews in the rest of the butter until they are golden, then add these and the raisins and cardamom to the carrot mixture. Serve with the almonds as garnish.

scott duncan
(I paraphrased the directions so let me know if they are not clear.)

[Celeste]

Thanks so much for looking that up!

[pastrygirl]

Here is a recipe that I have never tried but always was curious about. It comes from a book that has good curries and other indian dishes, so it might be worth a try.

1 1/2 lb carrots, peeled and very finely shred
1 1/2 qt milk
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 tsp. crushed saffron threads
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp rose extract
1 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup ground blanched almonds
1/3 cup sliced almonds

cold heavy whipping cream

Combine carrots and milk and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring often, until reduced by more than half and thick enough to coat a spoon. Stir in sugar, raisins, spices, and rose extract and continue cooking until thick enough to hold a soft shape. Add butter and ground almonds and cook about 10 minutes more, until thick enough to form a solid mass. Cool slightly, then turn out and shape into an even mound and decorate with sliced almonds. Serve warm or cool with chilled cream poured over.

[Val G]

In the NYC region, you will find a delicious and comforting warm carrot halvah at Wazwan Kashmiri Restaurant in West Caldwell, NJ. See link below to chowhound thread.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...