Recipe of the Week: A British Twist on an Indian Classic | Canalside Community Food

Beetroot halva

Ingredients
1lb / 450g beetroot
1 ¼ pints / 700 ml milk
8 whole cardamom pods
5 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
3 tbsp caster sugar
1-2 tbsp sultanas
1 tbsp shelled, unsalted pistachios, lightly crushed

Preparation
Peel the beets and grate them. Puncture the cardamom pods, then put the grated beetroot, milk and cardamom pods in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring now and then, until there is no liquid left. Adjust the heat, if you need too. This boiling down of the milk with take at least half an hour (in this case 3 hours!) depending on the width of your pot.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-low flame. When hot, put in the beetroot mixture. Stir and fry until the beets no longer have a wet, milky look. This can take 10-15 minutes.

Add the sugar, sultanas and pistachios if using. Stir and fry for another 2 minutes.

This halva can be served warm or at room temperature. If you want, serve with clotted or double cream on the side (although it is already very rich indeed!).

Adapted from Carrot Halva in Madhur Jaffrey’s ‘Indian Cookery’