Gajar Ka Halwa
Mildly sweet festive Indian Halwa made with red, sweet and juicy winter carrots, milk, sugar, ghee, cardamom and slivered nuts.
Prep Time 45 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
- 11/2 kg peeled and grated winter carrots
- 1 litre full fat cow's milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 to 3/4 cups ghee
- 1 1/2 tsps cardamom powdered
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup cashewnuts, almonds and pistachios slivered
Note : Do not grate the carrots very fine or your halwa will turn mushy, though it would still taste good
In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee and fry the raisins, over low to medium heat, till they puff up and just start browning. Add the leftover ghee while making the halwa.
Pour the milk into a heavy bottomed and deep pan. Add the carrots and cook over medium to high heat while stirring frequently, till the carrots are done and the milk has reduced to less than half the original quantity.Alternatively, cook the carrots and milk together in a pressure cooker till just soft. It can be cooked in the microwave too. Put the cooked carrot-milk mixture and the remaining milk in a heavy thick walled pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook down, stirring frequently, till the mixture is almost dry.
Now add the sugar and keep stirring till its dissolved. Cook till the mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the ghee, in two separate lots, stirring well after each addition. Keep stirring until the halwa turns a slightly deeper red in colour and no liquid is visible at the bottom of the pan. The halwa should be soft and moist but not wet.
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the powdered cardamom and raisins. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator or freezer. Garnish with slivered nuts just before serving.
This recipe should serve about 10, depending on the serving size.
Gajar/ Carrot halwa tastes best when served slightly warm. So just before serving, slightly warm the halwa. Many people in India prefer to serve/ eat this halwa warm with vanilla ice-cream but I prefer the halwa just as it is, warm and fragrant with cardamom.