CARROT HALWA WITH GARAM MASALA PECANS
This recipe marks a milestone in my relationship with my mother. When I gave her some of the halwa with a cup of tea, she burst into tears. I was horrified something was wrong. “No,” she said, “but I think it’s better than mine!” If eating carrots as a dessert strikes you as odd, remember how good a spiced carrot cake is. This isn’t too distant a cousin. Serves 4 ¼ cup unsalted butter ¾ cup pecans 1½ tablespoons powdered jaggery or brown sugar 1 / 3 teaspoon garam masala 1 2 / 3 pounds carrots, peeled and grated 1 cup condensed milk 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or finely ground seeds from 12 pods) First caramelize the pecans. Line an oven pan with parchment paper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and when the butter starts to foam, add the pecans, jaggery, and garam masala, and stir. Keep stirring until the jaggery melts and turns a warm brown, then take off the heat and tip onto the pan. Be careful, as the sugar will be hotter than the sun. If you feel inclined to sepa…
