Carrot Halwa

ingredients:                                                                                                           

• 2 lbs carrots (preferably large organic), skin scraped off and shredded
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• ½ stick butter to garnish with 2 tbsp of pistachio (slivered and fried)
• 10 cardamom pods, skin removed and seeds crushed
• Pinch of saffron (optional)

Steps                                                                                                                      

1. Heat 1 stick of butter in a heavy saucepan or pressure cooker until melted.
2. Add shredded carrots and fry for 6 minutes or until wilted.
3. Add milk and cook for 15-20 minutes on low or medium low heat.  Stir constantly to avoid burning of carrots. Alternatively, in a pressure cooker, add milk and shredded carrots and cook until pressure develops for 3-5 minutes and turn off the stove.
4. Add cardamom powder and stir.
5. Add sugar and stir constantly until the mixture is translucent, for 30 minutes under a medium flame.
6. Transfer it to a glass dish.
7. Cool and garnish with fried pistachio.