GAJRELLA - CARROT KHEER OR CARROT PUDDING

GAJRELLA

This is a traditional sweet dish of Pakistan/India. You can make it as rich as you want by adding Khoya (solidified milk) or fresh cream or even condensed milk. There are several variations to suit an individual's palate. You can adjust the sweetness to suit your taste and preference. This recipe is one I have personalised by trying out many other ways of preparing Gajrella and I find this method gives me the result I need. Do go ahead and give it a try and see how it turns out.

INGREDIENTS

1) Half a Kilo of Carrots - cleaned and shredded (Please make sure it is NOT FINELY shredded)

2)  1 Small Teacup of good quality rice - washed and soaked in water. Leave to soak for 2 hours.

3)  2 Litres of Full Cream Milk

4)  5 Tbsps of Fresh Cream or 100 gms of Khoya

5)  A Few Pistacchio, Some Blanched and sliced Almonds, Some Raisins.

6)  1 Cup of Sugar - You may increase or decrease this amount as per your taste.

7) 4 - 5 Tbsps of Ghee (Clarified Butter)

DIRECTIONS

1) In a heavy based pan, add the Ghee, let it heat up a bit and then tip in the sliced almonds. Fry until slightly browned and remove with slotted spoon and set aside. In the same Ghee add the raisins, and fry until they puff up. Remove these too and set aside.

2) Tip in the shredded carrots in the same pan containing the Ghee. Keep stir frying on high flame until they have reduced to half their original quantity. This should take around 10 minutes approximately. Pour in the milk.

3) Tip the soaked rice along with a little bit of water into a blending jug (or using a hand blender) pulse in short spurts until the rice is broken into grainy bits. Please do not overdo the breaking up of the rice otherwise you will end up with a very mushy Gajrella and that is not what we are aiming for.

4) Pour this rice along with the water it was blended in, right into the pan containing the milk and carrots. Best to add the rice before the milk starts boiling. VERY IMPORTANT: After you add the rice, keep stirring continuously otherwise the rice will sink to the bottom of the pan and form lumps. Keep stirring until the milk starts boiling. Reduce the heat. Let the Gajrella simmer over a medium low flame. Remember to keep stirring on and off. 

5) After about 25 to 30 minutes of simmering the consistency of the Gajrella will have thickened. Please make sure it is not too thick in consistency otherwise by the time it cools down it will be too lumpy. Add the cream at this stage, along with part of the quantity of the pistacchio, almonds and raisins you set aside earlier. If you are using Khoya, then crumble part of the quantity and add at this stage. Give it a good stir, and add the sugar. Stir again and taste for sweetness. Add more if you so desire. I do not add any extra flavouring as I find that the carrots impart the required flavour to the dish. But if you wish, you can add some crushed cardamom and/or rose or screwpine essence at this stage.

6) Tip into serving dish and scatter the remaining dried fruit and/or Khoya. Leave to cool to room temperature and chill in refrigerator if you will. Gajrella can be served warm or chilled. Enjoy!!!