Carrot Halwa (Gajar ka Halwa)

Carrot Halwa is probably the easiest Indian dessert or sweet dish recipe. The word halwa or sometimes spelt halva originates from the Arabic word meaning "sweet". It is usually a sweet dish which is either flour based or nuts and butter based. You can make halwa with carrots, squashes, pumpkin, yams, lentils or any kind of nuts...but probably the one that is most popular across Southeast Asian homes is the quintessential gajar (meaning carrot in Hindi) ka halwa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfjdFTIKAoY
Servings: 8 yield(s)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 65 mins
Ingredients
  • 1 lb Carrots
  • 3 Tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1/4 cup nuts (slivered almonds. cashews or pistachios)
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 2 Tsp Cardamom pd
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 Pinch Grated Nutmeg (optional)
  • 1.5 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 300 gm. condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • a pinch of saffron
Instructions
  1. Peel and chop carrots and grate them with a box grater or in a food processor.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a large non stick frying pan and add cashews and raisins. Sauté it for a few minutes and take them out with the help of a slotted spoon in a small bowl and keep aside.
  3. Add in the grated carrots in the same pan and mix well. Cover the pan and cook it on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring at intervals.
  4. Add the sugar and cardamom pd. and let the carrot simmer until the sugar melts completely for about 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Add the condensed milk, cashew/almonds, raisins, nutmeg. Mix well and cover the pan and let it cook on low setting again for about 15 to 20 minutes until the halwa is fully cooked. Check and stir it in between.
  6. Carrot halwa can be served warm or can be cooled in the refrigerator and served chilled too.
Recipe Notes

Instead of using whole milk, condensed milk can be substituted. Use 2 cups of milk and 1 and 1/2  cups of sugar or according to your taste.