Beetroot halwa or Indian fudge with jaggery

The gorgeous pink beetroot halwa stands out amidst other desserts and sweets on your festive dinner table. Even though socializing must be at the minimum, a lovely feast just with close family members for this festive season can leave us feeling happy.

It started with the urge to create something for Breast Cancer awareness and ended on a happy sweet note. Beetroot is healthy and versatile. I have prepared savory and sweet dishes with it. My family loves falafels, tikkis, dips, salads, Indian sweets, etc. with beetroot as the star ingredient.
The texture and the procedure of this halwa resemble that of carrot halwa. However, beetroot halwa has a unique taste. It is considered a superfood and is getting increasingly popular in powdered form. I am yet to try it, though.
I used jaggery powder to sweeten this halwa, and that added to the flavor. Indian sweets are incomplete without dollops of “Ghee”(clarified butter). It is also considered healthy, apparently good for bones, and tastes divine. I topped my halwa with sweetened Greek yogurt, slivered pistachios, and rose petals. If you feel a little more indulgent, replace the yogurt with cream and fry the nuts with a bit of ghee. I hope you do give it a try.

Ingredients

• Beetroot (4 medium-sized) approx 400 gms
• Jaggery powder 50 gms
• Milk 200ml
• Ghee(clarified butter) 3 tbsp
• Greek yogurt 4b tbsp
• Pistachios 1 tbsp
• Rose petals

Method

1. Peel and grate the beetroots and keep it aside. Heat the ghee in a deep bottom pan and start cooking the grated beetroot.
2. After 5-10 minutes, the beetroot starts changing color and leaves an aroma. Keep stirring continuously on medium flame and add the jaggery. Mix till well combined, and the hue becomes more intense.
3. After 5-8 minutes, add the milk and let it simmer. Stir intermittently as the milk takes some time to evaporate.
4. Once the milk disappears, reduce the heat and stir again till the fudge leaves from the sides.
5. It almost comes together as a lump. Turn off the heat at this point and let it cool. Serve warm or chilled, topped with whipped yogurt, nuts, and rose petals as a garnish.