Lots of carrots.... recipes please

[RedPepper]

Hello

We accidentally bought a new bag of carrots while there was already an unopened bag of carrots in the fridge. I also have a bag of baby carrots!!! We are not carrot lovers, except that I always keep a bag of carrots in the fridge and use it here and there... I don't make anything exclusively with carrots. But now I would appreciate some recipes that use lots of carrots.

Thank you.

[Alan]

Okie, at last I got muy turn to help you. If you have children at home, they'll love this. Gajar ka halwa!

http://food.sify.com/keyword_recipe_search.php?keywords=carrot%20halwa

Everyone will enjoy this on a hot Summer's Day- Carrot Drink

http://food.sify.com/keyword_recipe_search.php?keywords=carrot%20drink

Some of the other stuff you can try, for a change:
Carrot Chutney
http://food.sify.com/keyword_recipe_search.php?keywords=Carrot%20Chutne y

For the kids'/hubby's lunch box: Carrot Sandwich
http://food.sify.com/keyword_recipe_search.php?keywords=Carrot%20sandwi ch

For a relishing dessert on a lazy Sunday Afternoon: Carrot Kheer
http://food.sify.com/keyword_recipe_search.php?keywords=Carrot%20kheer


I hope I've been helpful. For more Carrot recipes, log on to www.bawarchi.com

I use carrots mostly in Uppma & Noodles . I also grate carrots & have them in yoghurt as a side dish. You can also add some grated carrots in the dosa batter for colour & nutrition.

[ssanjinika]

I love carrot porial..Ive had it in hotels.

from what I could make out the method is the same as its for beans porial..
cut carrots into small cubes.
in a tawa add little oil
when the oil is hot enough add mustard seeds,dry red chillies,urad dal and curry leaves.
when the mustard seeds start to sputter add the carrots.
Add little water and allow the carrots to cook(The carrots can be steamed in the MW before hand and added to the tawa at this point too)
Add salt according to taste and finially add some coconut.
Carrot porial is usually served in chennai hotels as part of "meals" or "special sapadu".
I loved them...

[RedPepper]

Thank you for posting those links Alan.
I want to try Carrot halwa, but I am confused with the humongous number of recipes posted on those websites. Do you or anybody have a T&T (tried and true) recipe?
I liked your wonderful idea of adding them to the dosa batter. That will make the dosas pretty & nutritious. I have the dosa batter and I am going to try it. I rarely add grated carrots in pancake batter, but never thought of using them in dosa batter.

ssanjinika, that is an easy recipe, sounds delicious. I will try it out. Thank you.

[Anoushka]

Red pepper, I make quick carrot halwa - my MIL's recipe. Grate carrot and stir fry it in a tiny amount of ghee. She adds ghee, just the amount of oil that we add for poriyal and stuff, adds the carrot and covers the vessel... Once carrot is cooked add fresh cream, sugar/vellam (generally pana vellam is good for health so I add that instead of sugar), diced almonds, fried cashew, raisins and mix it up well and stir it till the halwa gets a bit thick and there is no liquid, add cardamom powder, mix and remove from heat.... ready to eat!!!

[Anoushka]

Red Pepper: I add grated carrot to dosa batter, idli batter, chappati atta, aval upma... also add carrots to vermicilli, pasta, upma, noodles, etc.

You can make grated carrot and peas poriyal, or diced carrot and peas poriyal, you can also make cabbage, beans and carrot poriyal (the tri-colour is attractive, specially for children).

[dev]

You can also make carrot rice...

1.Cook rice with salt... the grains should be separate after cooking... Should be like what we use to make lemon rice, puliogare etc...
2.Grate lots of carrots... I usually add 2 whole(medium)carrot for 200 gms of rice coz I love carrots... U can reduce it if u want to... chop onions...
3.Grind green chillies, roasted channa dhal(around 1 tbsp), 5-6 sticks of coriander leaveswith stalk, a tbsp of coconut or other substitue for coconut(can avoid this as this doesn't make a big difference), a small piece of garlic or ginger(flavour differes a bit depending on which one U use) & salt, turmeric powder.
4. Take oil in a pan... add some mustard seeds, jeera & urad dhal, cashew nuts(optional)...once golden, add chopped onions, curry leaves & fry a it...
5. Add the grated carrots & fry until 1/2 done..add a bit of water if req...
6.Now add the ground paste & cook for another minute or two...
7.Add the rice & mix well...garnish with coriander leaves... the carrots should be a bit crunchy even after all the cooking is done.

Noter:
The same can be done with cabbages... In that case add ginger or not garlic while grinding the paste as ginger goes well with cabbages...

The same can be done for aval or beaten rice or poha... Avoid the paste(step 6) & follow the other steps... add slit chillies for taste...

[Alan]

Wow there! lotttttttttttts of recipes. Its gonna be a Carrot Fiesta in RedPepper's home!

[sailu]

Here is a tried and tested carrot raita which goes well with rice and rotis.You can eat it as it as well.

Grate 1 cup carrot.Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and let them splutter.Add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds,few curry leaves,1/2 urad dal and let it brown a bit.Add 2 slit green chillis and 1 small chopped onion.Fry for 3-4 minutes,stirring.Now add the grated carrot and fry for 3-4 minutes.Add salt and 1/3 tsp turmeric pwd.Remove from heat and cool.
Beat 1 cup yogurt and add the cooled fried carrot to it.Adjust salt and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

This is a very healthy and tasty raita.

Another recipe is chop carrots and beetroots and add some white pepper pwd,salt and honey and have it as a salad.

Mix grated carrots with sprouts and blend with lemon juice , salt and white pepper pwd and have it as a salad.
Red Pepper,hope this helps..:)

[Alan]

I had some carrot & beetroot 'thoran' when I went to my friend's home for lunch ( he is a Keralite/malayali)

Its very simple.

Grate equal amounts of carrot & beetrrot.

Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, red chillies & grated coconut. Add grated carrot & beetroot. Add salt, chiilipowder & turmeric powder. Cook till the veggies are done. YUMMY!!! Serve hot with Rice & Sambhar, Curd & Pappads. You have an awesome Kerala lunch!

[Alan]

I had some carrot & beetroot 'thoran' when I went to my friend's home for lunch ( he is a Keralite/malayali)

Its very simple.

Grate equal amounts of carrot & beetrrot.

Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, red chillies & grated coconut. Add grated carrot & beetroot. Add salt, chiilipowder & turmeric powder. Cook till the veggies are done. YUMMY!!! Serve hot with Rice & Sambhar, Curd & Pappads. You have an awesome Kerala lunch!

[Alan]

Do u make Oothappam? You can add on one layer of grated cocunuts. That's how my friend's mom makes, when she calls us for Kerala breakfasts.YUMMY!

She also adds grated cocunut, tomatoes, corriander & curry leaves & onions. Serve hot with white or red Cocunut Chutney!

[RedPepper]

:shock: Never knew we could do all these stuffs using carrots! Carrot was always an ignored vegetable in my kitchen.

Anoushka, thanks for the quick carrot halwa recipe and the other ideas. Appreciate it.

ssanjinika, i made your carrot poriyal and it was great. Thanks.

Dev, thanks a lot for the carrot rice recipe. Someone PMed me some carrot ideas in which he/she mentioned the carrot rice. I was wondering how that could be made.

Sailu, thanks a lot for the input. Will try out soon.

Alan, thanks again for the thoran and oothappam recipe. I will give it a go.
I added some grated carrots to the dosa batter yesterday, and you know what my daughter asked? "Mom, is this your new trick of making me eat vegetables??" :roll:

[dev]

RP,

you can make carrot sandwiches as well... the recipe can be found in the healthy lifestyle thread...

[Anoushka]

I added some grated carrots to the dosa batter yesterday, and you know what my daughter asked? "Mom, is this your new trick of making me eat vegetables??" :roll:

RedPepper: :lol: Actually this is one way of making kids eat vegetables, make their food colourful... you can add some peas on top of the uthappam as well... and some corriander leaves, etc... it will be colourful and tasty and kids will eat it without any hassle :)

[Alan]

Smart kid you have there, Red Pepper!
And welcome!

[ssanjinika]

[/quote="redpepper"]I added some grated carrots to the dosa batter yesterday, and you know what my daughter asked? "Mom, is this your new trick of making me eat vegetables??"[/quote]

:lol:
Children are just getting smarter and smarter these days :).
Ur very welcome RP Im glad you liked the recipe.

[RedPepper]

Thanks.

What is the shelf life of carrot halwa? I made it. Yummy. But I made a lot of it! Can I refrigerate it for a couple of days?

[Alan]

Yes, You can refridgerate it. But it may become hard, no? Did your daughter enjoy it?

[dev]

If it becomes hard , make it into carrot burfi...:D

[Anoushka]

Red Pepper: It should not become hard, keep in the fridge for a week, heat it up in the microwave just before serving....

Note: Add a little bit of vannila ice cream on top of hot carrot halwa.... and it will be yummier :lol:

[Cindy]

Instead of adding cashew paste to thicken your kofta curry, butter chicken, mushroom curry etc... add carrot paste... and I am sure.. you will love the taste.. and u can make ur dish nutritious too...

you can make carrot pakodas too... just add some grated carrot to your regular pakoda ingredients...

And yes Alan, we too make Oothappam with carrot, grated coconut, onion, cabbage, capsicum...(the list can vary with ur imagination and also the veggies available at home).. my son calls this "dosa pizza"

The next time you make pineapple juice, try adding some carrots too... this combination is just wonderful..

Then instead of adding artificial color to your kesari next time.. try carrot rava kesari... nutritious, colorful.. and yummy.

fry one cup of rava with a teaspoon full ghee in low flame.. and keep it to cool.

grind carrot to paste.. and fry in a nonstick pan with a little ghee...as for carrot halwa

when the carrot is cooked, add two cups of water, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and elaichi powder.. when start to boil, add the roasted rava and 2 tablespoons of ghee with continued stirring, and in low flame... whendone, spread on a greased plate and cut into your fav shapes.. decorate with carrots pieces cut into your fav shapes.

u can add a piece of beetroot too to the carrot paste... to get a different color.

[Alan]

Oiye Red Pepper, Cindy & Anu have some fab tips for you there.

Btw, aren't the carrots in your fridge over yet?

[RedPepper]

Yes, You can refridgerate it. But it may become hard, no? Did your daughter enjoy it?

Yes my daughter did like it. But I didn't tell that it was made out of carrot. Kids don't care about the ingredients as long as it taste sweet. But she doesn't like carrots and beet roots that much so I was afraid she wouldn't eat it if she knows that it has caarrots in it. I don't complain about this because she loves other vegetables like green beans, broccoli, spinach(to an extent), potato etc.

[RedPepper]

Thank you Cindy and Anoushka, for those wonderful ideas.

[RedPepper]

Oiye Red Pepper, Cindy & Anu have some fab tips for you there.

Btw, aren't the carrots in your fridge over yet?

Nope. Alan, these were big bags of carrots. About 20-25 carrots in a bag. But I am glad that I finishjed the first bag with all your ideas and recipes. Now I only have one bag left so I am slowing down. I have saved all the recipes posted here.

[Anoushka]

You are welcome RedPepper :) Also, you can make beetroot halwa exactly the same way you made carrot halwa, that would be a nice way to make your daughter eat beetroots :)

[Sanguine Sridhar]

My mom use to do one side dish using carrot..she will slice carrot into threads and she will put those threads on the fresh curd and she will leave it for 30 mins.Its really tasty... :D I juz luv it..Don ask me the name..keep it as 'Sridhar Special' ;)

[Sanguine Sridhar]

My mom use to do one side dish using carrot..she will slice carrot into threads and she will put those threads on the fresh curd and she will leave it for 30 mins.Its really tasty... :D I juz luv it..Don ask me the name..keep it as 'Sridhar Special' ;)

[dev]

You are welcome RedPepper :) Also, you can make beetroot halwa exactly the same way you made carrot halwa, that would be a nice way to make your daughter eat beetroots :)

I like beetroot halwas better than carrot halwa... beetroot halwa has a very nice flavour like that of rose milk...:)

[RedPepper]

You are welcome RedPepper :) Also, you can make beetroot halwa exactly the same way you made carrot halwa, that would be a nice way to make your daughter eat beetroots :)

I like beetroot halwas better than carrot halwa... beetroot halwa has a very nice flavour like that of rose milk...:)

Beetroot is another ignored vegetable in our house. :| Dev, I like rose milk, so I might try that beetroot halwa. Do you grate or grind the beetroots?

Beckham, thanks a lot for the 'Sridhar Special' recipe. :)

[dev]

I grate it... using a fine grater...

[sailu]

Red Pepper, here's a carrot raita for you..:)
Healthy carrot perugu pachadi (http://indiacuisine.blogspot.com/2005/12/carrot-perugu-pachadi-carrot-yogurt.html) with grated carrot,yogurt,onions,spices and coriander leaves.

[ssanjinika]

Beetroot???Hmmm..beetroot somehow could never interest me much.I make that only when my husband threatens me to cook it himself :)(he likes it quite a bit :roll: ).I dont know anything else you can do with beetroot except the usual porial.Halwa seems like a good idea.Will try that sometime.

[RedPepper]

Beetroot???Hmmm..beetroot somehow could never interest me much.I make that only when my husband threatens me to cook it himself :)(he likes it quite a bit :roll: ).I dont know anything else you can do with beetroot except the usual porial.Halwa seems like a good idea.Will try that sometime.

I am starting to think that any recipe you have for carrots will be good for beetroots as well? :roll: Beetroot kheer, beetroot halwa, beetroot burfi, beetroot rice.......... What if we substitute grated beetroots in Sailu's raita recipe posted above?

Sailu, thanks for posting your recipe. Looks de-li-cious... (Hello moderators, we need a drooling smiley here. I cannot find one in the list. )

[Urmila]

[tscii:87ea067c91]HI Red pepper,
Have you tried the carrot poricha kuzhambu by MRs.Chithra Vishwanathan --- In case yu haven't , am giving the recipe below. It is a MUST try, it is sooo tasty.....a very good change as we usually don't make any gravy based exclusively on carrots.


Carrot Poricha Kuzambu - You will literally drink this kuzambu !

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carrot cubes (1/2”) - 2 cups

Small onions, peeled - 1 cup

Garlic - 10-12, chopped

Oil - 1 tbsp

Cooked moong dhal - ¼ cup

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Salt, haldi

To roast in ½ tsp oil & powder:

Red chillies - 5,6 (or to taste)

Pepper - 1 tsp

Tur dhal - 2 tsp

Gram dhal - 2 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Rice - 1 tsp

To temper in 1 tsp oil:

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few

Add 2 cups of warm water to coconut, liquidise & strain the milk.

Heat a pressure pan, add oil, fry the onions, chopped garlic & carrots in that order adding one after the previous one is lightly fried.

Add 1 cup of water and haldi to the vegetables in the pressurepan & cook for 1 whistle.

To the coconut milk, add the prepared powder & cooked dhal.

Add this mixture to the vegetables, adjust to the required consistency & cook for one more whistle.

Cool, open & temper.

Serve hot with rice.


Also, here is the link for her other recipes, in case you/other hub friends may be interested.

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/showthread.php?s=0c8aeb2dd4f20f28edaec71d395dbc5d&t=668


Your blog pictures look very very nice & tempting, how do you get such perfectly round chapathis --- any chapathi maker you use ? And my chapathis always turn out brown, how come your chapathis are soo white ? do you use maida ?
And regarding the cake cracking on top, I think if the batter quantity is too much for the pan, then cracks on top will come. Maybe if you try baking in a larger pan, it will be smooth top.

Regards,
Urmi.[/tscii:87ea067c91]

[sailu]

Sailu, thanks for posting your recipe. Looks de-li-cious... (Hello moderators, we need a drooling smiley here. I cannot find one in the list.)
Your most welcome,Red Pepper.
There's one more carrot recipe coming your way.
Protein rich stuffed parathas (http://indiacuisine.blogspot.com/2005/12/protein-rich-parathas-stuffed-parathas.html)

[RedPepper]

Sailu, thank you for the paratha recipe. I will try that soon.
I really appreciate the time and effort you put in elaborating your recipes for others. I love it when recipes come with pictures. :smile2: Please do post more and more when time permits.

[RedPepper]

Urmi, thank you for posting the recipe of Carrot Poricha Kuzambu by MRs.Chithra Vishwanathan.

Perfectly round chapathis??? hmmmmm......maybe practice? I don't use any chapathi maker, just a wooden rolling pin and the board that came with it. This is my 4th year in chapathi making, and my chapathis started to come out round recently only. I have been making funny shaped chapathis for a long time. :D
Hemantji aka Nichiro has posted the method of making round chapathis. Here is the link: http://www.hemant-trivedis-cookery-corner.com/tipstricks.html#tip22
I don't use maida. Those chapathis in the pictures were made out of "Golden Temple Atta" & whole wheat flour. 1 1/2 cup golden temple + 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. The golden temple dough is easy to roll out. I like making it only with whole wheat flour, its tasty and nutritious, but it is difficult to roll out and yes, those chapathis come out brown. Maybe you are using whole ground wheat?
Regarding the cake cracking on the top, thanks for the tip.


[tscii:38f5189635]
Your blog pictures look very very nice & tempting, how do you get such perfectly round chapathis --- any chapathi maker you use ? And my chapathis always turn out brown, how come your chapathis are soo white ? do you use maida ?
And regarding the cake cracking on top, I think if the batter quantity is too much for the pan, then cracks on top will come. Maybe if you try baking in a larger pan, it will be smooth top.

Regards,
Urmi.[/tscii:38f5189635]

[sailu]

Sailu, thank you for the paratha recipe. I will try that soon.
I really appreciate the time and effort you put in elaborating your recipes for others. I love it when recipes come with pictures. Smile2 Please do post more and more when time permits.

Sure will post more pictures,Red Pepper.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words..:)
I do have time as I am a stay at home mom taking care of my 3 yr old and enjoy cooking very much.
Your blog has some lovely pictures..the food pics look good, RP.
Intend on trying out the vadas this weekend..:)

[rain]

hi urmila,

ur carrot khuzambu sure sounds inviting.had previously heard of carrot paste in gravy only. is the cooked moong dal meant to be split moong(yellow) or whole moong(green)?and do u need to soak it? do let me know.

thanks,
rain