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The magic of carrots

Raw or cooked carrots are packed with health. They are used in skin care too!

Think of that mischievous cartoon character Bugs Bunny, and the first thing that comes to mind is a carrot. It is the orange coloured root of a plant, and is a very popular vegetable world over. Crunchy and sweet, the carrot is considered the best vegetable for a balanced diet. Available all year round, its stems and leaves are also edible. Carrot belongs to the parsley family - Daucas Carota. It is known to have originated in the Middle East. One interesting factabout the carrot is that it is the refined version of a common weed called Queen Anne's lace.

Why carrots are good

Carrots are the richest source of carotene. Carotene is converted into Vitamin A by the human body. Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin, hair, mucous membranes and other epithelial tissues. The antioxidants present in carrots protectagainst cancer and promote good vision, especially vision at night . Studies show that high doses of beta-carotene present in carrots help reduce the risk of cardio vascular diseases. Carrots are good sources of potassium and dietary fibre too.

And that is not all, carrots are good for skin . It is an excellent source of revitalising skin , it restores and retains the glow of your skin. However too much of a good thing too can be bad. Excessive intake of carrot can give your skin a yellowish tinge called carotoderma.

Here is the recipe for glowing skin - Mix two tablespoons of carrot paste well, 1 table spoon curd and rice flour each and 6 drops of honey. Apply evenly on your face and neck, and wash it off after 20 minutes with warm water and followed by cold water.

Carrots are good eaten raw or cooked. It is the main ingredient of almost all vegetable dishes like salads, soups and stews. Carrots are also used to make sweet delicacies like cakes, puddings, burfi, halwa, etc.

Carrot Potato Soup

Ingredients

Carrots - 400 gm
Potatoes - 400 gm
Orange juice - One-fourth cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Baby Corn, Capsicum, Onion chopped - 2 tbsp each
Salt and pepper - To taste
A pinch of nutmeg powder

Coriander leaves chopped to garnish

Method

Peel carrots and potatoes, slice them and steam it till done. Liquidize them by adding 4 cups water, strain and make apuree. Pour this puree into a shallow bowl and double boil it. Stir continuously. When it begins to boil add orange juice, chopped baby corn, capsicum and onion. Add butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg powder. Stir well and keep 4 minutes on fire. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with fried carrot strips.

Carrot coconut cream pudding

Ingredients

Carrot - 2 cups
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Water - 3 tablespoon
Ghee - 1.25 tbsp
Sugar - 3 tbsp
Lime-juice - 2 tbsp
Milk - 500 ml
Sugar - 0.75 cups
Corn flour - 1tbsp
Egg - 1
Vanilla essence - 1tsp
Gelatin - 1.25 tsp

Method

Put grated carrots and desiccated coconuts in a bowl, add lime-juice and 3 tbsp sugar, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add ghee and mix well. Stir well till the water evaporates. and keep aside. Beat the egg well, add corn flour, sugar and milk . Pour this mixture into a saucepan and keep this over slow fire, stir continuously till it thickens. Add vanilla essence and remove from the fire. Add 3 tbsp water to gelatin, stir well and boil. Pour this gelatin into the milk mixture and mix well. Grease a pudding bowl with little ghee, spread carrot coconut mixture evenly. Pour gelatin-milk mixture over it. Chill the pudding and garnish it with grated chocolate or caramelized nuts and serve.

LEENA LEON

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