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| gaajar halva with a squiggle of milk pak cream |
winter is the season
of indulgence. it calls for the richness of butter and cream; of dark meats and
root vegetables.
in england, my adopted home, winter is the time to eat
roast meats with potatoes to sponge the juices. soft cheeses high on fat are
eaten with sharp chutneys made from apples, quince and beetroots. desserts
feature steamed puddings, deep dark ones heavy with vine fruits or soft sweet
ones with delicate constitutions. both love a little cream or custard to mellow
the heat and sweet. in pakistan, my erstwhile home, december is wedding season,
so alongside the kormas, paalak and fragrant pilaus are trays of my favourite
dessert. gaajar halva (carrot halva) is made from
laal gaajar (literally red carrots). these are particular to the
sub-continent. they are distinct from the orange ones that i use in england.
they are crisp and sweet and an almost transparent red in hue.
