10 minute Carrot Halwa (OPOS®) by DK on Feb 9, 2018
Traditional recipes are always special. They have this knack of teleporting you into pleasant realms - a cocoon of memories that's comforting and precious. Unfortunately for our current generations, recreating the same recollection pattern is getting harder (no) thanks to - TIME! We are in this unrelenting race towards limitless needs and there is only so much energy within each of us. Thus many aspects, that used to be counted as maternal warmth by our previous generations, has been replaced by pale substitutes. But if cooking a wholesome meal for your family is among your priorities, then today's post is all about telling you how it is doable with nary a sweat or time!
The conventional method of making Gajar Ka Halwa ( untastefully translated to Carrot Pudding!) requires choosing juiciest and tender carrots. Red Delhi Carrots during Winter Season makes for an exceptionally delicious candidate for this dessert. These are then simmered for long in Ghee, Milk and Sugar until thickened into a delicious pudding. Slow cooking definitely has its place in kitchen, but some things in my opinion, are better with limited cooking time. Not only does it taste better and is nutritiously superior, it also gives you more time to do better things - like sitting down with a warm bowl of carrot halwa; savoring every single spoonful without an eye on the clock. This is where OPOS® Cooking comes to your rescue. Ever since I have made its acquaintance, it has greatly improved my culinary experience!
This week I had a beautiful bunch of Red Carrots straight from my local farm. The very sight of which, compelled me to make some Gajar Ka Halwa, for nostalgia but more for posterity. My plan is to expand my little guy's dessert repertoire that's pretty much limited to phoren chocolate chip cookies, candies and cakes! It takes 10 minutes (max) of cooking time with minimal prep (that depends on how fast you can grate your carrots ;)) Let's get to our recipe, shall we?
- Cook time:
- Prep time:
- Serves: 2-3 people
- Yields: Around 1 cup
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) grated Carrots, see Tips
- 2/3 cup (145 grams) Cane Sugar, or as needed - See Tip 2 for more details
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 2 tbsp Non Fat Dry Milk Powder (unsweetened)
- Optional
- 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
- Roasted Cashews
- Pistachio Nuts for garnish
- Variations
- Substitute Carrots with Beets/Winter melons/ Squash
- Substitute Sugar with Jaggery or your favorite sweetener
- Replace Milk powder with Khoya/ Condensed milk/ Paneer
- Replace water with milk
Tips
1. Carrots: As already mentioned in the post, Red Carrots that are tender and in season make for the best ones to use. But regular orange (why, even purple/black) carrots can also be substituted. Just make sure they are not tough/old and fibrous.
2. Sugar: The original recipe calls for 1 cup (200 grams) of white sugar. Our tolerance for sweets is quite low and hence I have reduced the amount to 2/3 cup which amounts to roughly 145 grams. I also use Organic Blond variety of sugar. It still is pretty on the sweeter side for us. I might experiment with 130 grams next time around.
2. Sugar: The original recipe calls for 1 cup (200 grams) of white sugar. Our tolerance for sweets is quite low and hence I have reduced the amount to 2/3 cup which amounts to roughly 145 grams. I also use Organic Blond variety of sugar. It still is pretty on the sweeter side for us. I might experiment with 130 grams next time around.
Method
1.
Please follow the recipe EXACTLY as stated for the first few times. Standardize your pressure cooker before starting the recipe if you have not done so earlier. This is done to ensure that the timings work the same way as it works for OPOS recipes. Take a 2L pressure cooker. Add 3 tbsp water to it.
2.
Add grated carrots next. I used the smallest hole in my grater for a creamier texture. But you can use the bigger holes as well.
3.
Follow it up with sugar. Like I mention in the tips section, 1 cup is used in the original recipe. I have cut it down to 2/3 cup (which is still sweet in my opinion).
4.
Then comes 1 tbsp Ghee. I might have added a tsp or 2 more ;)
5.
Top that with the unsweetened milk powder.
6.
Close the lid with weight on. Heat on high. The flame should cover the bottom of the cooker. Make sure it does not extend to the sides. Will cause the handles to burn. Set Timer to 10 minutes. The cooking time can be anywhere from 6-10 minutes. Make sure not to extend 10 minutes.
7.
Stay nearby. Within few minutes there should be a pressure build up. If there isn't, check to see if there is steam escaping by the sides.That means your gasket needs changing! The number of whistles DOES NOT MATTER in this recipe since it will depend on the amount of moisture in your carrots. More the moisture, more the number of whistles. Keep a lookout for a burning smell. If you get it, switch off heat, manually release pressure and mix the contents. 99.99% cases the food is still not burnt when you start getting a faint burning smell. Hence it is crucial to stand by to avoid burning and wasting food.
8.
I have tried this exact recipe at least 6-7 times and I have cooked it till 10 minutes mark with varying number of whistles (12-18). Your whistles can be much more. Don't worry about that. Just use 10 minute mark and your nose as a guideline. Switch off the heat once the time is up. Manually release the pressure.
Caution: So depending on the ingredients, yours might be done before the 10 minute mark. That's when the faint burning smell will start. If it does, switch off the heat, release pressure and proceed with the following.
Caution: So depending on the ingredients, yours might be done before the 10 minute mark. That's when the faint burning smell will start. If it does, switch off the heat, release pressure and proceed with the following.
9.
This is how it looks upon opening.
10.
Give it a good mix,
11.
until well combined. No burning or sticking. Mine is of perfect consistency. But if yours is too watery - cook for few more minutes in open cooker until it thickens. If you think it has become very hard, next time try reducing the cooking time by a minute or two. The kind of carrots used dictate the cooking time. Garnish with nuts of your choice.
The only downside to this recipe and method is the fact that making carrot halwa is now a child's play! It might tempt you to make it often :) For something that takes roughly anywhere from 6-12 minutes, it is extremely delicious and addictive with a creamy texture and a deep flavor. Serve it warm or cold; on its own or with a side of Vanilla Icecream.
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8 Comments
By Sheetal on Feb 13, 2020
Hi
Lovely recipe with a lot of alternate options
Planning to prepare today with jaggery and paneer instead of milk powder. Should grated paneer work .. should I add it after carrots are cooked to be in the steam or at the same time
By sruthi on Jul 4, 2018
in induction how many watts do i need to use 110 or 180 or 80? using prestige induction
It will depend on your standardization timing. Please refer this link: What is OPOS. Ideally you want your first whistle to be between 1 and 2 minutes ideally around the mid pack. In my induction I get that using it at power level 6 at 1200 watts. If your whistle comes before 1 minute, please decrease the heat. If too late (after 2 minutes), increase the wattage. Hope this helps :) --DK
By Sheetal on Apr 3, 2018
Can I substitute sweetened condensed milk for sugar and milk powder in this recipe? If yes, what would be quantity?
I havent tried it personally but I have seen few of OPOStars using milk. For about 100 grams of carrot they used 1/2 cup milk that is poured down the sides without disturbing the layers. I would suggest using a minimal amount to try the experiment with condensed milk. Stay nearby since it will take less than 5-7 minutes to see if you like the end result. --DK
By Sheetal on Apr 3, 2018
Can I substitute sweetened condensed milk for sugar and milk powder in this recipe?
By Sindhuja Ashokkumar on Mar 29, 2018
Thank you very much DK, for the recipe. I am new to OPOS method of cooking and I tried it for the first time today. Before getting started, I was pretty much sure this halwa will never be as good as the slow cooked halwa made the conventional way. Anyway, I followed your instructions and to my surprise, this one tasted even better than the slow cooked version. This recipe is a keeper.
I am so glad to hear this Sindhuja. I felt the same. For such minimal effort, the result is so worth it, isnt it? Thank you for your feedback :) Appreciate it --DK
By Vidhubala Anand on Mar 6, 2018
Simply amazed by your step by step explanations and process..this recipe can never go wrong...
Awesome result
Thank you so much Vidhubala :) --DK
By Tina on Feb 12, 2018
I don't have a pressure cooker. How can I make this on stove top? Thanks
Please refer to my old post for Carrot Halwa. --DK
By Harleen on May 4, 2020
Yes of course --DK