Carrot halwa

Ingredients

2 kg carrots, washed and grated
1 kg milk
1 cup ghee
1 ½ cup sugar
3 cardamoms, crushed
1 tsp saffron, mix in 1 tbsp water
Almonds, raison and pistachios; blanched and chopped

Method

Bring milk to boil. Add carrots, stir carefully and cook slowly till all the milk is absorbed. Add sugar, almonds, raisin and pistachios. Cook till the mixture is nearly dry. Add melted ghee gradually and fry till rich brown. Add cardamom and saffron. Cook till ghee separates out.

Egg halwa

Ingredients

5 eggs
1 cup ghee
1 cup sugar
1 tsp saffron
2 tbsp almonds and pistachios each

Method

Mix all the ingredients. Cook on low flame; keep on stirring till the mixture gets thick. Pour the mixture and set in a tray. Sprinkle almonds and pistachios on top.

Sooji (Semolina) halwa

Ingredients

8 oz sooji (semolina)
8 cardamoms
4 oz sugar
1tbsp milk
2 tbsp ghee
Almonds and pistachios

Method

In a pan heat ghee, add cardamoms and then add sooji. Keep stirring. When the sooji gets lightly brown, add sugar and after a few minutes add milk.
Grease a tray with ghee and spread the halwa over it. Gently cut in pieces and decorate with almond and pistachio slices.

Lauki halwa

Ingredients

2 ½ kg Lauki, grated
¼ kg ghee
1 ½ cup sugar, heaped
1 tsp cardamoms (heaped), grinded
½ kg khoya (dried whole milk)
Almonds and pistachios
¼ tsp green colour, mixed in ¼ cup water

Method

Heat ghee and fry lauki well for about 25 minutes until it becomes light brown. Add in sugar along with green colour. Then add khoya and cardamom powder and stir for five minutes. Remove from fire and take out excess ghee. Lastly add in sliced almonds and pistachios.

Date halwa

Ingredients

200gms wheat flour
¾ cup oil
½ cup rose water
200gms dates, soft, seedless and chopped
Sugar to taste
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp saffron soaked in 1 tsp milk

Method

Dry roast the wheat flour in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly till it turns golden in colour. Gradually add the oil, making sure it mixes properly with the wheat flour. When it is brown and aromatic, stir in the rose water, dates and sugar. Mix well. Add cardamom powder and saffron. Stir for five minutes. Remove any excess oil floating on top. Put the halwa in a serving dish and serve.
Saira Abdullah