# Can I make carrot halwa with soy or hemp milk?



## jpinmaryland (Mar 27, 2011)

I am referring to the indian dessert, I think it's full name is gajar halva. This is where you cook down the shredded carrots with condensed milk and add cardamon and almonds and such. Can I subsitute like hemp milk or soy milk for that condensed milk? Or will it not work? I might add some ricotta I am thinking..


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## Bolas De Fraile (Mar 27, 2011)

jpinmaryland said:


> I am referring to the indian dessert, I think it's full name is gajar halva. This is where you cook down the shredded carrots with condensed milk and add cardamon and almonds and such. Can I subsitute like hemp milk or soy milk for that condensed milk? Or will it not work? I might add some ricotta I am thinking..


If you clic on this link and search carrot halwa mamata explains that her sister in law in Miami uses ricotta
http://www.mamtaskitchen.com I have a sweet tooth but Indian sweets and puds are too much for me.


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## jpinmaryland (Mar 27, 2011)

Hello Bolas: Thank you for your help. I found at least two recipes re: halwa/halva however I did not see any mention of the ricotta: 

Mamta's Kitchen Recipe

Mamta's Kitchen Recipe

I will probably just try and experiment. there are any number of halwa/ricotta recipes here: 

http://www.google.com/search?q=carr...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I think I will just try it with the hemp milk. Do yo think there any other consideration when using hemp milk?


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## Yakuta (Mar 27, 2011)

You should be able to make the halwa with soy or hemp milk.  I think if you use saffron and cardamom it should mask any taste of the milk.  In addition, you can use ricotta to finish it off.  

Here is how you use ricotta in carrot halwa. 

First cook down ricotta with some milk powder and butter until it's dry and crumbly.  

You make the gajar halwa and if you make it correctly it will take a lot of elbow grease.  Once you cook the halwa down and it has no water left, add this dry ricotta, butter and milk powder mixture to it and fry it a bit more.  

Add some sliced nuts to it along with some golden raisins and serve warm. 

I love gajar halwa, it is a great dessert for a cold night and goes well with some hot chai.  A very typical Indian comfort dessert.


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## jpinmaryland (Mar 27, 2011)

thanks for the tip!


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## jpinmaryland (Mar 31, 2011)

I made two batches and both of them came out pretty well. I didnt use the dried milk powder and I wonder difference it would have made. I used hemp milk as well as the ricotta. One tip that seems to make the process a lot shorter is to first heat the shredded carrots and some milk in a microwave for some 5-8 min. (recipes vary). This sort of speeds up the cooking process because I recall the last time I made this it took some two hours. Then cook down the ricotta then put the carrots/ricotta together for sautee'ing with clarified butter. some recipes call for adding the sugar last and most put it in when everything goes into the skillet/sautee step. 

Q: what difference does the milk powder make to all this?


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## CWS4322 (Mar 31, 2011)

jpinmaryland said:


> I made two batches and both of them came out pretty well. I didnt use the dried milk powder and I wonder difference it would have made. I used hemp milk as well as the ricotta. One tip that seems to make the process a lot shorter is to first heat the shredded carrots and some milk in a microwave for some 5-8 min. (recipes vary). This sort of speeds up the cooking process because I recall the last time I made this it took some two hours. Then cook down the ricotta then put the carrots/ricotta together for sautee'ing with clarified butter. some recipes call for adding the sugar last and most put it in when everything goes into the skillet/sautee step.
> 
> Q: what difference does the milk powder make to all this?


 

I don't know what difference the milk powder would make, but it would cancel out, I would think, using soy or hemp milk if you are trying to avoid using a lactose-based milk. I looked up a recipe for this and I have to say, it didn't "ring my bell." I'm guessing this is an acquired taste.


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## jpinmaryland (Mar 31, 2011)

well yes. In other words I was not going to use the milk powder because I was trying to avoid milk. So yes in that sense.


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