Ramesh, the sous chef at Prashad, perfected our recipe for this classic Indian pudding with the help of my husband. The milk powder helps to thicken the dish and absorb any excess moisture from the carrots. If you’ve any left over, it will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days – reheat it over a low heat or in the microwave or simply enjoy it cold – it’s delicious.

  • 45
  • 6
  • Medium

Ingredients

  • 240g ghee (or clarified butter)
  • 10 medium carrots, finely grated
  • 500ml whole milk
  • 300g granulated sugar
  • 60g dried milk powder
  • 1 ¾tsp cardamom seeds, coarsely ground or crushed
  • 30g pistachios, roughly chopped to garnish (optional)

Method

Melt the ghee or clarified butter in a large thick-bottomed pan over a high heat then stir in the carrots. Fry for a minute on high, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring all the while. Increase the heat to high again and fry for another 4-5 minutes until the majority of the liquid from the carrots has evaporated. Constant stirring and varying the temperature during frying both help to speed up the process of cooking off the carrot juice.
While the carrots are frying, bring the milk to the boil in a small pan. Once the liquid from the carrots has evaporated, pour in the boiling milk and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Stir in the sugar and cook for a further five to six minutes, stirring regularly to make sure the mixture doesn’t stick or burn. Add the milk powder and cardamom and keep stirring and cooking for another five minutes, then remove from the heat.
Leave to rest, covered, for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to intensify then gently reheat before serving. The temperature at which you serve it is a matter of taste. Some like it piping hot, while I prefer it slightly warm and accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
You can serve it in a large bowl, garnished with chopped pistachios if you fancy them – the colour contrast is lovely. Alternatively, form it into little domes as I sometimes do, pressing a sixth of the mixture at a time into a small bowl or teacup to mould it into shape then tipping it onto individual plates. Sprinkle the top with chopped pistachio – or for a real flourish, a twist or two of gold leaf.

About The Author

Since Kaushy and Mohan Patel opened Prashad 22 years ago serving authentic vegetarian Gujarati and South Indian food, it has grown from a small deli in Bradford to a 80+ seat restaurant, which has gained recognition from Gordon Ramsay as Finalists on Channel 4’s Ramsay’s Best Restaurant 2010. They have also been named in The Michelin Guide and The Good Food Guide as well as winning numerous awards.

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