Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)
The ultimate Indian winter dessert. Grated carrots slow-cooked in milk and ghee until they melt into a rich, sweet, caramelized pudding.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 6 servings
- red winter carrots
- full-fat milk
- ghee (clarified butter)
- sugar
- khoya (milk solids - optional)
- cardamom powder
- cashews
- almonds
- raisins
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed Kadai or Pan
- Grater
Instructions
- 1
Select Carrots
Use fresh, juicy red winter carrots (Delhi carrots) if possible. Wash, peel, and grate them finely.
- 2
Boil with Milk
In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, add the grated carrots and the full-fat milk. Bring it to a boil.
- 3
The Long Simmer
Reduce the heat to low. Let the carrots cook in the milk, stirring occasionally. This takes about 30-40 minutes.
- 4
Evaporate the Milk
Cook until all the milk has evaporated, and the carrots have absorbed it completely, becoming soft and mushy.
- 5
Add Ghee
Once the mixture is almost dry, add a generous amount of ghee. This is where the roasting (bhunao) begins.
- 6
Roast the Carrots
Roast the carrots in the ghee on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until they turn a deep reddish-orange and release an incredible aroma.
- 7
Add Sugar
Add the sugar. The mixture will become watery again as the sugar melts.
- 8
Cook the Sugar
Continue to cook on low heat until the sugar syrup dries up and the halwa leaves the sides of the pan.
- 9
Add Khoya (Optional)
For a richer, halwai-style taste, crumble in fresh Khoya (milk solids) at this stage.
- 10
Fry the Nuts
In a small pan, heat a little ghee and fry the cashews, almonds, and raisins until golden.
- 11
Final Touches
Add the fried nuts and freshly ground cardamom powder to the halwa. Mix well.
- 12
Serve
Serve steaming hot. It pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Cooking Tips
- Do not use a food processor to grind the carrots; they must be grated to retain the classic texture.
- Patience is key. The slow evaporation of the milk and the roasting in ghee are what give the halwa its caramelized flavor.
Variations
- Pressure Cooker Halwa: A shortcut method where carrots are pressure-cooked with milk before roasting in ghee.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The smell of Gajar Halwa cooking is the defining scent of an Indian winter household.
Nutrition Estimate
320 calories · 5g protein · 45g carbs · 14g fat · 4g fiber per serving
