Carrot pudding is a dish traditional to a wide range of cultures around the world. It can be served either as a savoury pudding (as an accompaniment to a regular meal) or as a sweet dessert.
A sweet dessert pudding associated mainly with the state of Punjab, India is called gajar ka halwa, carrot halwa, or Punjab gajrela.
It’s apricot season – but not for long, so we’re making the most of these beauties by mixing them up with ingredients that really show them off. There’s spices and crunchy dukkah to offset their soft sweetness, an orangey dressing to highlight their tart edge, roasted carrots for depth and creamy tanginess from yogurt to tie everything together.
Fresh Carrot and Apricot Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 Kilogram(kg) carrots
- 50 Gram(g) dry apricots
- 50 Gram(g) cashew nut
- 1,1/2 Pint milk
- 1/2 tin of evaporated milk
- 1/2 tin sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 Pint double cream
- 1 Teaspoon(tsp) custard powder
- grated chocolate for decoration
Instructions
- Peel, wash and finely grate the carrots
- Wash and soak apricots in water for 10 minutes. Drain and cut into small pieces. Save nuts from kernels for decoration
- Cut cashew nuts into small pieces
- Boil fresh milk (leaving aside 1 tbsp for the custard powder)
- Add grated carrots and stir for about 5 minutes on moderate heat
- Stir in the apricots and cashew nuts
- Make a smooth paste with the custard powder and 1 tbsp of cold milk
- Lower the heat and add this paste to the above mixture, stirring continuously until it thickens
- Add the evaporated and condensed milk and continue stirring for further 5 minutes
- Pour into a 3 inch deep dish and allow to set
- Beat the double cream lightly and spread on the pudding when set
- Decorate with chocolate and apricot nuts