Beetroot Burfi

Once a week, whenever I have some extra time, I utilize it to prepare a dessert.  I prefer fruit based or vegetable based sweets as they are more healthier than a cake or an ice cream.  
We all have heard of the famous Bollywood dessert Gajar (Carrot) Halwa. Today, I made Beet Halwa the same way I cook Gajar Halwa.  Beetroot (Beta vulgaris), a root vegetable is also known as table beet, garden beet, red beet, beet or chukandar in Hindi.

Ingredients:
Grated Beetroot/Chukandar - 2 cups
Milk - 3 cups
Sugar - about 2 tbsp
Ghee/Clarified Butter - 2 tbsp
Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods
Cashews, Pistachios - 3 each

How to make Beetroot Halwa:

• Peel the beetroot skin and grate it.  Crush the cardamom seeds to a fine powder in a mortar pestle.  I prefer freshly ground cardamom as it is more aromatic.  You can use nutmeg/jaiphal or vanilla extract if you like.

• Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan.  Add beetroot and saute for about 5 minutes at low flame. 
• Now add milk to the sauteed beets and cook it until milk evaporates.  Milk adds a nice creaminess and also softens the beets.  You can add more milk if you like or use condensed milk to save some time.
• Lastly, add sugar and cardamom.  Continue cooking until sugar dissolves and you get the desired consistency.  For Burfi, make sure you cook until all the moisture is lost.  Beetroots are a good source of natural sugars, add more or less sugar to suit your taste.  
• Garnish with whole or chopped nuts and serve hot or chilled.  If you like Burfi, grease a plate with few drops of ghee and spread the Beet Halwa while its hot.  Refrigerate for an hour or two and cut it into squares.  Store the leftover Halwa in a refrigerator.