HEALTHY GAJAR KA HALWA
Gajar ka halwa is one of the most popular winter desserts.
It usually includes carrots, ghee, milk, sugar, and some nuts. But here we are going to make the SATVIK version of this halwa.
The first-ever gajar halwa with no dairy, no sugar, and no ghee yet it is equally delicious.
Ingredients:
• Grated carrot – 4 cups
• Saffron – 20 strands
• Dates – 1/2 cup
• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
• Powdered jaggery – 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder – 1 teaspoon
• Rock salt – 1/2 teaspoon
• Chopped almonds -2 tablespoon
• Chopped pistachios – 2 tablespoon
• Chopped cashews – 2 tablespoon
• White poppy seed – 2 tablespoon
– Make sure to soak the nuts for about 6 hours before chopping them.
– Nuts should always be soaked. Soaked nuts are more digestible for our body.
PREPARATION OF DATE PASTE
Take half a cup of dates and half a cup of water, add both to the blender and blend until you get a smooth paste.
PREPARATION OF COCONUT MILK
Into a blender add half a cup of grated coconut and 1/ 4th cup of water blend them together then sieve the mixture through a nut milk bag or muslin cloth or cotton cloth.
PREPARATION OF GAJAR KA HALWA
Place the grated carrots and saffron into a clay pot. Let them cook on a medium flame for about 30 minutes, till all the water is absorbed and the carrots become soft.
Once the carrots have cooked reduce the flame to low, add jaggery powder and the date paste that we just prepared to the pot and stir them together then switch off the stove, add thick coconut milk stir it, and mix well immediately close the lid let the coconut milk cook just a little bit through the steam inside the pot but not directly on the flame.
Then add cardamom powder and rock salt to the halwa and stir well. Lastly, add the chopped almonds, cashew pistachios, and white poppy seed. Stir them well. Keep this halwa in the refrigerator for 30 minutes as all the flavors bloom and become more and enhance.
TIPS –
• Make sure not to reheat this halwa.
• We should not cook coconut milk on heat because it has heat-sensitive minerals that get destroyed when heated.
• Consume this halwa within 3-5 hours
BENEFITS OF GAJAR HALWA IN WINTER SEASON:
• Gajar halwa is prepared using lots of carrots, nuts, coconut milk , dates and jaggery which is great for health during the winter season.
BENEFITS OF CARROTS
• Carrots have beta carotene, vitamin A and fibers.
• Vitamin A boosts eye health.
• Fibers help in weight loss. Carrots help in digestion and improve bowel movement.
• Carrots have lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which are great for the immune system.
• In a 100 gram portion of carrot having, 41 kilocalorie, 9.58 carbohydrate, 2.8 gram dietary fibre, 16706 IU vitamin A.
BENEFITS OF COCONUT MILK
• Coconut milk is enjoyed not only for its flavor and health benefits but it also helps to rejuvenate the skin and hair due to its high concentration of Vitamin E.
• As compared to other milk types, coconut milk is high in calories it having 230 calories in 100grams
• Coconut milk can promote weight loss and reduce the risk of ulcers, great for diabetes control.
BENEFITS OF DATES
• Dates have an excellent nutrition profile. Most of the calories in dates come from carbs.
• Dates contain some important vitamins and minerals in addition to a significant amount of fiber.
• 100 grams of dates have 277 calories, 75 grams carbs, 7 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
• Dates are also high in fiber which may be beneficial for preventing constipation and controlling blood sugar.
