Except for carrot cake, I’d never thought of the carrot in terms of dessert. Until I moved to India and I had this Carrot halwa, also known as gajar ka halwa.
Carrot halwa is a sort of carrot pudding, a simple dessert made with grated carrots, milk, cardamom, ghee (clarified butter), and dried fruits, and it has a delicious unique taste that I can’t really compare to anything.
In India, halwa is a common term for Indian puddings made with sugar, ghee (clarified butter), nuts and cereals, lentils, fruits (papaya, bananas, mago, jackfruit, etc) or vegetables such as beetroot, pumpkin, carrot, potatoes, etc. Amazing, isn’t it?
Apart from the extended simmering time, carrot halwa/gajar halwa is really easy to prepare. And trust me, even if you are not a fan of carrots, you will enjoy this dessert because you won’t even tell that there is carrot in there.
I hope you give this recipe a try! You can serve it warm with some cream or vanilla ice cream on side.
Step by step Carrot halwa recipe – Indian dessert Gajar halwa
Peel the carrots and grate them. Put the grated carrots, milk and cardamom pods in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to a boil.
On medium heat, cook until there is no liquid left (it took me about 45 minutes). Stir from time to time.
In a non-stick pan heat oil or ghee (clarified butter), on medium heat. Add the carrot mixture, stir and fry until the carrots no longer have a wet, milky look (it will take about 15 minutes). They will intensify in color, becoming rich orange – reddish in color.
Add dry fruits and sugar. Stir fry for another 2 minutes.
Serve carrot halwa warm or at room temperature, optional with cream or vanilla ice cream, on the side.
- 3 cups grated carrots (4-5 carrots);
- 500 ml milk;
- 5 green cardamom pods;
- 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter);
- 2 tbsp caster sugar (more or less, as per taste);
- few dried fruits: raisins (sultanas), unsalted pistachios, almonds, cashew nuts - soaked and shelled;
- Peel the carrots and grate them. Put the grated carrots, milk and cardamom pods in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to a boil.
- On medium heat, cook until there is no liquid left (it took me about 45 minutes). Stir from time to time.
- In a non-stick pan heat oil or ghee (clarified butter), on medium heat. Add the carrot mixture, stir and fry until the carrots no longer have a wet, milky look (it will take about 15 minutes). They will intensify in color, becoming rich reddish in color.
- Add dry fruits and sugar. Stir fry for another 2 minutes.
- Serve carrot halwa warm or at room temperature, optional with cream or vanilla ice cream, on the side.
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