carrot halwa (sweet)

 

                Carrot Halwa | Gajar Ka Halwa

Delicious carrot halwa recipe – Indian carrot pudding prepared with carrots, milk, and ghee sweetened with sugar and sweet condensed milk! Check out how I make carrot halwa on the stove top with detailed step-wise pictures.

Carrots (red or orange) – While the traditional carrot halwa recipe calls for red carrots, you can use red or orange, whichever you can source. In New Jersey, during Jan/Feb, I get red carrots, which I have used for this recipe. But I have also tried this recipe with regular orange carrots. 

Whole Milk: We cook carrots in whole milk, which adds amazing flavor. 

Sugar and sweet condensed milk: I have used regular granulated sugar for this recipe, and to add rich flavor and texture, I have also used sweetened condensed milk. 

Ghee: You cannot imagine Indian desserts without ghee. We need 1.5 to 2 tbsps of ghee, and I highly recommend not reducing it further. 

Cashews: I love adding some roasted nuts to my halwa. I used some cashews, and towards the end, I garnished it with some slivered pistachios too. Skip for a nut-free version.

Saffron and cardamom: I love the combination of saffron and cardamom. In Hindi, it’s the kesar(saffron) and elaichi(cardamom); they both add amazing flavor to this carrot halwa. You can add either one or both based on availability. 

How to make carrot halwa

• Heat the kadai or pan and add 1 tbsp of ghee. When it is hot, add the cashews and roast them until it turns light brown. Remove the cashews from the pan and set them aside.
• In the same pan, add the grated carrots. There should be some ghee left after roasting the cashews; if not, add ½ tbsp and then add the carrots.
• Roast the carrots for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. The color of the carrots will change, and it will ooze out some moisture, and that’s fine. 
• Now add the milk and mix well.
• Cover and cook the carrots for 7 to 8 minutes. Open the lid and stir the carrots every two to three minutes. 
• Now add the sugar and mix. Cook for two more minutes.
• Then add the sweetened condensed milk, ground cardamom, and saffron. 
• The halwa will be slightly watery, and that’s fine. Add ½ tbsp of ghee and cook until the mixture thickens over medium-low heat. It took me 10 minutes, and I forgot to take the final step picture.
• Finally, add the roasted cashews and enjoy warm. 

Recipe Notes

• Make sure to cook the halwa over medium-low heat. On a number scale, I was adjusting between 3 and 4. Do not cook over high heat, and don’t rush the process. Slow cooking enhances the flavor.
• You can soak the saffron strands in the milk instead of adding them directly.
• Adjust the sugar and sweet condensed milk to taste. 
• You can skip the condensed milk and add more sugar instead. 
• I used my hand grater to grate the carrots, and I have tried grating it on the thicker and the thin side, and we loved the texture in both cases. For this recipe, I grated it on the thin side.