Carrot Halwa Recipe | Gajar Ka Halwa

1. Wash 500 grams (half kg) carrots thoroughly under running water. Peel and fine grate them. A food processor quickens the process of grating. So if you own one, you can use it.

Make sure you use a heavy bottom large pot or pan for this recipe as it helps to prevent the halwa from sticking to the bottom and burning. However a pressure cooker too works well.

If you do not have cardamom powder, crush 4 green cardamoms in a mortar pestle or a spice jar.

2.On a low heat, roast 10 pistachios, 5 to 6 almonds and 5 cashew nuts until crunchy. Remove them to a chopping board, cool and chop them. OR Alternately chop the nuts first and fry them in one tablespoon ghee until golden and crunchy. Set aside. If you prefer to use raisins, you may fry them in ghee until plump. Set aside.

3. Next to the same pan, pour 2 cups milk and begin to heat it.

Simmer Carrots with Milk

4. Add grated carrots. (Optional – If using regular carrots and not (delhi gajar) red carrots then you can saute the carrots in ghee until a nice aroma comes out then pour milk. )(check video for details)

5. Stir and cook on a medium flame. Keep stirring to prevent burning at the bottom. Since I used a heavy bottom pan, I didn’t have to stir very often. But I suggest consistently keep checking otherwise the halwa will stick at the bottom.

6. You will have be cautious always towards the end. Especially when the milk has almost evaporated.

7. Cook until the milk completely evaporates.

8. Next add half cup + 2 tablespoons sugar and stir.

9. Sugar melts and carrot halwa turns gooey once again. Stir and cook. When the moisture is half evaporated, add 1 tablespoon ghee and stir well.

10. Stir and cook until the halwa thickens. Just before you finish off, add half teaspoon cardamom powder.

Finally garnish carrot halwa with nuts & raisins. Serve chilled or warm.

Gajar Ka Halwa with Condensed Milk

This method comes handy when you want to make this dessert for an occasion as it is quick to make. Using condensed milk cuts down half the cooking time and the resulting halwa is much richer, flavorful and delicious.

1.Wash and peel young 500 grams carrots well. Grate them either using a food processor or hand grater. Use the fine grater if you have a food processer.

2. Add ½ tablespoon ghee and heat the pan. This prevents the halwa from sticking to the pan & burning. If you want to you can add the ¼ cup chopped nuts. Fry them until lightly golden. Then add 2 tablespoons raisins. When they become plump, remove to a plate.

3. Add grated carrots & saute for 2 to 3 mins.

4. Pour ½ tin condensed milk (½ cup + 2 tablespoons).

5. Mix well and continue to cook on a medium heat. You will see the carrots begin to release moisture.

6. Cover and cook until gajar turns soft and tender.

7. Add cardamom powder.

8. Adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee enhances the aroma and taste. You can also add more if you like.

9. Mix and saute until a nice aroma comes out.

10. When the milk evaporates turn off. Garnish with chopped cashews, pistachios and almonds.

Serve Gajar ka halwa warm or chilled.

Ensure gajar is grated with a medium fine grater. In the method, carrot is not cooked for long time so if the gratings are larger they won’t soft cook quickly.

If you want you can fry the nuts & raisins in 1 tbsps ghee. Then add carrots and milk. Cook on a low heat stirring well until carrot turns tender. If the milk evaporates and the carrot are not soft then cover and cook on a lowest heat for few minutes.

Then add khoya and sugar. Mix and continue to cook. The entire mixture turns gooey. Let it cook until gajar ka halwa thickens.

Add 1 tablespoon ghee and saute for 2 mins. Turn off and garnish with nuts and raisins.

Gajar ka halwa with milk powder

Milk powder is also known as dry milk and is sold in the grocery stores. I use Nestle everyday for this. Depending on the kind you use, adjust the quantity of sugar and milk powder to suit your taste.

Add grated carrots to a heavy bottom pot or pressure cooker and pour milk. Cook on a medium to low heat until carrots become tender. If using a pressure cooker, pressure cook for 1 whistle on a medium heat. Let the pressure drop naturally.

Stir the carrots as they cook until tender. Then add sugar and continue to cook on a low heat. Sugar melts and carrot halwa becomes slightly gooey. At stage sprinkle milk powder all over and mix well to incorporate the milk powder.

Stir and continue to cook until most of the moisture if evaporated. Taste test and add more milk powder or sugar to adjust the sweetness levels.

Add cardamom powder and turn off the heat. Serve with chopped nuts.

Instant pot Carrot Halwa

I have been using instant pot for quite some time for all my cooking. Making carrot halwa in an instant pot is a breeze as you don’t need to stir the pudding like we do for the traditional method.

Pro Tips

Choosing carrots: Always use fresh, tender and young carrots that are less fibrous. If needed taste them before cooking. Carrots that are too old or mature are more fibrous & have a different flavour & texture which do not go well for the halwa. Young carrots are sweeter in flavour & yield a mouth melting carrot halwa.

Milk: Use full fat a.k.a whole milk to get a tasty carrot halwa. For a low fat version just reduce the amount of milk in the recipe or use low fat milk. You can also skip or reduce the amount of ghee. If you are a vegan you can make this halwa with coconut or almond milk. You can also use homemade almond milk following my faq section below.

Grating carrots: Grate the carrots with a hand held grater or food processor. I always use a food processor. You can grate to thick or thin shreds depending on how you like your carrot halwa to be. My kids like them to be very fine as the halwa just melts off in the mouth. But for this post I have used larger gratings.

Sautéing carrots: My mom makes this by first sautéing the grated carrot in ghee for 5 mins. Then pours the milk. However I do not do this just to save time. Adding ghee at a later time, once the halwa is cooked gives a more intense flavour. So you can do either ways.

Cooking: Be cautious & do not leave the carrot halwa on the stove unattended as the milk will get scorched and burnt. You will need to constantly stir the gajar halwa as it cooks through.

How to make vegan halwa?

Soak 20 to 25 almonds or cashews overnight. Peel them and blend to a super smooth paste with ½ cup water. Pour 1 ½ cups more water and blend. Use this in place of regular milk in the recipe. Also skip ghee or replace it with flavourless virgin coconut oil.

How long can you store carrot halwa?

Carrot halwa made with traditional way can be refrigerated for upto 3 to 4 days after which the taste begins to deteriorate. So to store it longer for about 3 to 4 weeks freeze it.

What is the way to best store carrot halwa?

Cool it immediately after cooking and transfer to an air tight glass container. Either refrigerate or freeze it. Make sure you use freezer safe container if freezing.

What is the best way to reheat halwa?

Reheat it directly on the stovetop on a low heat stirring often or in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds. You can also reheat it in the Instant pot on a high pressure for 0 to 2 mins depending on the quantity of halwa.

Wash carrots under running water & peel them.

Grate them in a food processor or with a hand grater.

Dry roast nuts on a low heat until crunchy, cool & chop them. OR Alternately chop the nuts first & fry them in 1 tbsp ghee until slightly golden. Then add raisins & fry until they plump up. Remove to a plate.

How to Make Carrot Halwa

Next bring milk to a boil in a heavy bottom pot or deep pan.

Add grated carrots and cook on a medium heat stirring often.

Do not leave the pot unattended as the milk will get scorched.

When the milk has completely evaporated add sugar and stir well.

Sugar will release lot of moisture & will make the entire carrot halwa gooey.

Cook until half the moisture evaporates, then stir in the ghee.

Saute the carrot halwa well in ghee until the moisture evaporates completely.

When it is done gajar halwa turns aromatic & thickens. It will still be moist. Sprinkle cardamom powder.

Garnish carrot halwa with nuts. Serve warm or chilled with Ice cream.

Instant Pot Gajar Halwa

Press the saute button and add 1 tbsp ghee to the steel insert of the IP.

When it is hot fry the nuts until light golden.

Then add in raisins if using. When they plump up remove to a plate.

Then add in the carrots & saute for 2 to 3 mins stirring well.

Pour 1 cup milk and mix well. Deglaze by scrubbing the bottom of the pot with a spatula.

Secure the instant pot & position the steam release handle to sealing.

Press the pressure cook (manual) button & set the timing to 3 mins.

When the instant pot beeps and finishes, do a manual pressure release carefully.

Stir in the sugar, ghee & cardamom powder.

Press the saute button & saute until the milk evaporates completely.

Garnish gajar halwa with chopped nuts & raisins.