Ingredients

1 kilo (2 1/2 lb) organic carrots

50g (2 oz) sultanas

115g (4 oz) assorted nuts (cashews & pistachios) chopped

5-6 green cardamoms, peeled

5-6 cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

5 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

500ml (17 fl oz) milk

6 tablespoons extra thick double cream

200ml (7 fl oz) sweetened condensed milk

250g (9 oz) caster sugar, or to taste

Directions

Wash, peel and grate the carrots.

Rinse and dry the raisins. Chop the nuts finely and reserve some for garnishing. Grind the cardamoms and cloves into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.

Heat the ghee in a heavy non-stick pan until it melts.

Add the cardamom, clove and nutmeg powders to the ghee until it begins to give off aroma of the roasting spices.

Add the chopped nuts; cook until you get the aroma of the roasting nuts.

Add the grated carrots to the pan. Keep sauteing the grated carrot till the water begins to evaporate and the volume of carrots in the pan appears to be lesser.

Add milk. Let the carrots cook in the milk till almost dry. Keep stirring and cook over a low heat to avoid burning.

Add the cream and sweetened condensed milk; continue stirring until the mixture becomes slightly dry again.

When the condensed milk and cream are absorbed, and the carrots are thoroughly cooked, only then add the sugar (according to the sweetness you prefer.)

Continue cooking until the liquid dries up and the halwa leaves the sides of the pan.

Garnish with the remaining nuts and serve warm or chilled with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.