Glazed Carrots
GAJAR SABJI
-Recipe from Yamuna mataji
In India, carrots are more often used raw in salads, as crisp pickle
spears or in sweet halvas than as a cooked vegetable. They are
brilliant orange-red roots, harvested both young and sweet or oversized
as giants. Most Americans have three choices: baby carrots 2-3 inches
(5-7.5 cm) long, medium-sized carrots and large tapered carrots with a
fibrous core. You can use any of them with slightly different
preparation. Finger-thick babies require little preparation: simply
trim the ends and slice in half lengthwise. To prepare medium-sized
carrots, peel and trim the ends and slice on the diagonal about ½ inch
(1.5 cm) thick. When dealing with mature carrots, peel, trim the ends,
slice in half length wise and remove the core (insert a small pointed
knife beneath the core at the thick end of the carrot and pry the core
free). Cut the hollow carrots on the diagonal into ½ -inch (1.5 cm)
lengths.
I first had this dish
while traveling through the Punjab. It was prepared in an alkaline
Himalayan sparkling water, though still water with a lemon or apple
juice yields an equally flavorful cardamom glaze.
Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20- 40 minutes Serves: 4 or 5
30 baby carrots, about 1 pound (455 g), 6-8
Medium-sized or 4 – 5 large, cut as described above
3 table spoons (45 ml) ghee or unsalted butter
2 table spoons (30 ml) brown sugar or maple syrup
¼ teaspoon (1 ml) turmeric
½ teaspoon (2 ml) coarsely crushed cardamom seeds
½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground coriander
2 table spoons (30 ml) orange or apple juice
2/3 cup (160 ml) still or sparkling mineral water
½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) freshly ground pepper or cayenne pepper
2 table spoons (30 ml) coarsely chopped fresh coriander or minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lime or lemon juice
¼ teaspoon (1 ml) freshly grated nutmeg
1.
Place the carrots in a single layer in a roomy skillet or sauté
pan. Add 2 table-spoons (30 ml) of ghee or butter and the sweetener,
turmeric, cardamom seeds, ground coriander, orange or apple juice,
water and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer young carrots for as little as 20 minutes, older ones for up to
40 minutes.
2. When almost all of the water has
evaporated, uncover and rapidly boil off the remainder. Shake the pan
to keep the carrots from sticking. When the carrots are coated with a
shiny glaze, remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 1
tablespoon (15 ml) of ghee or butter and the pepper and fresh herb.
Shake the pan to mix the ingredients. Just before serving, toss with
lime or lemon juice and nutmeg.