Carrot Kheer/Payasam

Kheer/Payasam is a popular part of Indian cuisine as a sweet dish. It is sometimes served at the beginning of a meal or as a finish off to the meal. Whenever there are festivities there is always kheer. There are many variations to the payasam, the popular ones being Rice Kheer, Semiya Payasam, Chana dal payasam, and many more.

Carrot Kheer is a dessert I have made time and again for friends and family on popular demand. I will also let you into my little secret that turns this recipe a stunner. 

A simple dessert that tastes good both chilled and warm. This is a great recipe to make all the fussy about carrots and milk kids to get to eat both, as it a delicious way to have them. Any variety of carrot can be used for this kheer either Delhi Carrots or the English Carrots.

This kheer or payasam is not a very popular one as generally carrots are not on the favourite list of many, but that's exactly why it should be popularised. Only when you have this kheer you will understand what I mean. It has a beautiful texture, can be had chilled right out of a glass-like juice or can be had warm on those cosy winter nights. It is also a great after school healthy drink. I can keep singing more praises of its goodness and delicious, but then one has to drink this kheer to experience it.    

While you are here check out my other dessert recipes like Pineapple tart, Atte ka Sheera, Apple Crumble, Pineapple Rabri, Berry Smoothie Ice cream, and Akkaravadisal.

Here goes the recipe of Carrot Kheer for you.

PREP TIME: 10 MINS            COOK TIME:30 MINS 

TOTAL TIME: 60 Mins              COURSE:  DESSERT

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN      SERVINGS: 5

AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Carrot  2 cups chopped to small cubes

Milk 5 cups

Sugar 1/2 cup 

Cardamom 4 pods powdered

Cashewnuts around 7 broken to bits

Directions:

Chop the carrots to small cubes and put them in a heavy-bottomed vessel. Pour 1.5 cups of milk and cook. This should be done in a low to medium flame and the carrots should cook in the milk until the milk is almost evaporated and the milk sticks to the carrot pieces. Put off the flame and cool completely. Now put them in a blender and grind to a smooth paste. Add around 1/2 cup milk if required while grinding. Now pour the pureed Carrot into the same heavy bottomed vessel and switch on the flame. Dilute the puree with 1 cup milk and start boiling again. As it froths up and starts rising in the vessel add the sugar and reduce the flame. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Now add another cup of milk and continue to boil on a low flame. Now when the mixture starts rising in the vessel switch off the flame and add the cardamom powder. Take a small tempering Kadai and add 2 teaspoons of ghee to it. when the ghee is warm add the broken Cashewnuts and fry to a light brown colour. The delicious Carrot Kheer is ready to serve. Enjoy the healthy goodness. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Chop Carrots, cut the Cashewnuts to pieces, make a powder of the Cardamom pods.

2. Put the chopped carrots in a thick bottomed vessel, pour 11/2 cups milk and cook.

3. The milk should evaporate completely while cooking the carrots and should stick to the carrots. The mixture should resemble like Rabdi sticking to carrots. Put off the flame at this stage and cool the mixture.

4. Now put the mixture in a blender and grind it to a smooth puree, add 1/2 cup milk if required while pureeing.

5. Pour the puree into the same heavy bottomed vessel and switch on the flame. Add 1 cup of milk and bring to a boil on a low flame. Ad the puree froths and rises up in the vessel put in the sugar and stir nicely to dissolve.

6. Cook for 2 minutes and pour another cup of milk and continue to cook over a low flame for another 5 minutes. When the mixture starts rising again in the vessel, put off the flame and sprinkle the Cardamom powder over the kheer and mix gently. 

7. Fry the Cashewnuts to a golden colour and add them to the kheer. The delicious Carrot Kheer/payasam is ready.

NOTES:

1. Cooking the carrots in the milk until the milk is fully evaporated is critical to recreating this taste( that's the secret). I find cooking carrots in milk only until the carrots are tender and then putting them in the blender as most recipes recommend, to leave a raw taste of the carrot in the dish. Which finally mars the flavour of the dish.

2. The milk and carrot have to cook over a low to medium flame. Don't be tempted to raise the flame as the milk can get burnt and leave an after taste.

3. The beauty of this dish is that it needs no artificial colouring as its natural colour is bt itself very inviting.

4. Not much sugar is required for this recipe as carrots are naturally sweet.

5. Condensed milk can also be added instead of sugar, but in a lesser quantity, maybe 1/4 cup first and more if required. I have not tested this method of using condensed milk.

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.