Gajar Halwa or Carrot Halwa (Vegan Version)

When I met Mrs.P V in 2013, she claims that she is a Vegan and explained me the difference between Vegetarian, Eggtarian, and Vegan. Till that time, I never had any idea about Vegan.

She explained me with details..................Vegetarians are those who do not eat meat, fish, poultry or Egg. 

Eggtarians, addition to being vegetarian they also consume Eggs in their diet. 

The Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, they do not use any animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps.

Though, Mrs.PV is a Vegan, she regularly visits my blog and tried my recipe for her friend and family. She also shares her view by writing long mails, at the end with a vegan recipe request. In fact, she was the one to congratulate / inform me about my 100^th post! Till that, I didn’t realize, I have done so much!

In return, I wanted to thank / surprise her on this Diwali (Deepavali) for posting Carrot Halwa  (Vegan ver).  Also I take this opportunity to wish her and all my followers, reader, friends and co-bloggers to a very happy & prosperous Diwali.

Ingredient :  4 cups of  grated carrot     ;     2 cup of coconut milk (refer the link)     ;        ½ cup of coconut cream  (refer the link)     ;      4 tbsp of sugar      ;      ½ tsp of cardamom powder         ;       1 to 2 tbsp of coconut oil      ;     1 tbsp of chopped cashews  (fried in coconut oil)

Peel and then grate the carrots either with a hand held grater or in a food processor. In a thick bottom pan, add the grated carrots, coconut milk and coconut cream and keep the pan on med heat burner. 

Stir, occasionally. Cook the carrot till froth and bring the burner into low flame. Keep stirring and scraping the sides of the pan, until the coconut milk is fully absorbed. 

Add the sugar (since coconut and carrots are naturally have sugar, just 4tbsp would suffice) and continue to stir on low flame till the mixture starts to thicken and sugar fully dissolved.

Now, slowly add coconut oil till the halwa looks shinny and the oil start separate from the halwa. Sprinkle the chopped, fried cashews and cardamom. Serve either hot or chilled.

Note : for non-vegans and those who do not want coconut oil, you can substitute the coconut oil with Clarified butter (Ghee)

Baked Sprouted Dal Vada

Last week, we were at local south Indian restaurant for a breakfast. We ordered masal vadai or paruppu vadai (Dal vada). There was lot of oil in it. (Of course, in a deep fried items oil can’t be avoided) 

Due to oil, I resist myself to make vada at home. Suddenly, my son asked “why you can’t bake a vada, instead deep fry” Not a bad idea. 

But, don’t want to bake the same vada batter and bake. Want to enhance bit healthier by adding Sprouted moong dal and Veggies.

It was not bad at all. The taste is pretty close to the original deep fry. But, the shape is not circle. It’s a bar shaped. As long as its taste good and healthy, who bothers the shape?

The Ingredients*** are :   1 cup of chana dal   ;    1 cup of sprouted moong dal        ;             1 onion chopped     ;     1/2 cup of carrot & capsicum chopped      ;      2 green chilies       ;       2 tsp of salt      ;      1 small piece of  ginger     ;     3/4 tsp baking soda.

***Please find below the ingredients name in English and Tamil at the end of this post)

Procedure :  Soak chana dal in water for 2-3 hours and drain the water. Grind channa, moong, ginger, green chili, coarsely.  Add the onion, chopped carrot & capsicum, salt, baking soda and mix well. Allow it to stand for about 10 – 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture into a greased baking tray and spread evenly for about ¼” thickness.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C, for about 15-20 minutes or till top is golden brown. Cut into 1" squares.

Can be consumed with tomato ketchup or even sprinkled with chaat masala. I just eat without anything with chai.

*** Chana dal (Hindi)  =  Bengal gram (English)  = கடலை பருப்பு

Green Moong dal  (Hindi)  =  Green gram whole (English) = பாசிப் பருப்பு