As the winter chill sets in, picture yourself snuggled up with a comforting bowl of Gajar ka Halwa. This classic carrot treat brings together carrots, milk, ghee, and nuts in a delicious symphony that goes beyond just dessert. It’s a sweet taste of home and a joyful celebration of seasonal flavors. And with our easy Gajar ka Halwa recipe, you can whip up a batch in just 45 minutes.
We’ve simplified the recipe into three easy steps and included only four basic ingredients (optional: add some dry fruits). The secret ingredient in our recipe not only makes the process easier but also cuts down significantly on cooking time. Say goodbye to store-bought khoya and time-consuming sugar – our special ingredient binds everything together perfectly for an amazing halwa experience.
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What is Gajar Ka Halwa?
Gajar means carrot. Gajar ka halwa is a mixture of grated carrots with dry fruits, milk, sugar, khoya and ghee. Halwa is made using carrots, which are cooked in ghee and boiled in milk and cooked until it becomes thick like halwa. Indian Gajar Ka Halwa made with freshly grated carrots. Halwa tastes amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Gajar ka halwa recipe is a popular sweet all over India. This special halwa is made using carrot, milkmaid which adds more richness to the halwa. You can also make carrot halwa with sugar and not add condensed milk.
Ingredients Details for Gajar ka Halwa
Carrot- You can use desi carrot or regular carrot. Whatever you use, grate it finely. Sometimes I also grate it using a larger grater.
Milk – Use full fat milk for a more nutritious and tasty carrot halwa.
Ghee – While making Indian sweets always try to get pure desi ghee for best tasting halwa.
Nuts – Use a mixture of nuts as per your choice. I usually use cashews, almonds, pistachios.
Khoya- If you are using khoya then it is fine. You can use store bought khoya or homemade khoya. Check my khoya recipe.
Condensed Milk – This is completely optional but adding milkmaid makes it extremely rich and delicious.
Sugar – Of course you need a huge amount of sugar to make this dessert. But you can completely adjust it according to your taste.
Ingredients
- 1 kg carrots, grated
- 1 liter full-fat milk
- 1 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 1/2 cup mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios), chopped
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Instructions:
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the grated carrots and sauté on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes.
Add the milk to the carrots and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk is absorbed and the carrots are cooked. This may take about 30-40 minutes.
Add sugar and mix well. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens.
Add cardamom powder and chopped nuts. Mix well and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve warm, garnished with more nuts if desired. Enjoy your Gajar ka Halwa!
