Carrot Halwa (GF, DF, Vegan Dessert)

By , January 6, 2018

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Carrot Halwa (GF, DF, Vegan Dessert)

This dessert is usually made with lots of cream and sugar but this is a more natural version using almond milk, walnuts and dates. It is a northern Indian dish normally made with red carrots over a couple of days, during the colder months

Due to the lack of fat in this dish, it is a lot less sweet and indulgent than a normal dessert (just the way I personally like it), so for those with a sweet tooth add more sugar or pour over some simple syrup (just the way Mr B likes it)

I served this with almond milk Indian Chai, my guests loved it, but since I am still perfecting the recipe, I’ll post the recipe for this at a later date

I only recently realized that one of the common flavors in Indian desserts is cardamom. Most of the recipes I have seen, call for the addition of cardamom powder or seeds, which I like as it reminds me of tastes from my childhood, but isn’t everyones cup of chai. I can only describe it as a herbal spice. If you find you don’t like this, add a little cinnamon and nutmeg as a substitute

Happy New Year to you all from Tasha. Kitchen! May this year bring you love, beauty and balance

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp. coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp. crushed cashews
  • 2 tbsp. cut up dates
  • 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts/pecans
  • 5 cups grated carrots
  • ¼ cup almond meal
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1-2 tbsp. raw sugar (optional to taste)
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. crushed cardamom and/or saffron strands

Simple Syrup ingredients

  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 1.5 cups water
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ tsp. crushed seeds from a cardamom pod or cardamom powder
  • ¼ tsp. saffron

Method

  • Heat oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the cashews, cooking until golden, c. 2minutes
  • Add the dates and walnuts/pecans, c.2 minutes
  • Add the grated carrots to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Add the almond meal, almond milk, mix and cook until the milk has been absorbed, c. 15-20 minutes
  • Add the sugar (if using), salt, cardamom and saffron
  • Continue to cook until fully combines, c.8-10 minutes
  • Serve warm or chilled
  • For the simple syrup add all the ingredients into a saucepan, heat over a medium heat until all the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to become a little thicker
  • Pour over hot, or let cool a little if you’d prefer a cold dessert