Growing up gajar halwa is a standard offering at every wedding, birthday and any other special occasion. This was my sister’s favorite dessert and my mom would make it often for us. Since it was my sister’s favorite, she got to grate all the carrot. I limited myself to being the taste tester. The time consuming part of making this classic Indian dessert is grating carrot. This happens to be my husband’s favorite too. So now I am stuck with the grating carrot part. I wish I could get him to grate.
Ingredients for Gajar ka Halwa:
The one and only star of this dish is the Carrot. Red carrots known as ‘gajar’ or ‘desi carrot’ are typically used to make this halwa. As the name suggests, these carrot are red and are available in winter. They are much sweeter, crunchier and juicier than the regular orange carrot. So, if you get can get your hands on these ruby red beauties, then buy and make this halwa to make it even more delicious. I usually buy carrots from the bulk bin because I find them to be sweeter than the bland tasting bagged ones . So, if you plan on making this halwa, try and find good sweet carrots. Trader Joe’s organic colored carrots would be great, but the color of the end product would probably not be the same. My MIL makes the best carrot halwa. She uses with khoya/ khova (dried milk solids, which makes it rich and decadent. But I took the short cut and made mine with condensed milk. The other ingredients needed are ghee, milk (preferably 2% or whole milk) and sugar (just a little bit since condensed milk is sweet). Ground cardamom gives a nice aroma and flavor. Chopped cashews/ almonds and raisins add crunch and bites of sweetness.
How to make?
Patience is the key in making creamy, decadent carrot pudding. For best results, it has to be cooked low and slow; on a low flame. It has to be stirred occasionally in the beginning and more frequently at the end when the halwa comes together.
Top Tips:
Here are a few of my tips to make this yummy dessert:
If you don’t have the time, patience or the bicep strength to grate your carrots by hand, then use the grating plate on the food processor or pulse until finely chopped.Taste the halwa and adjust sugar to make sure it is sweet enough for your taste.Want to make vegan Carrot Halwa: Use vegan friendly coconut condensed milk, unsweetened almond milk and vegan butter instead of the dairy versions. It will turn out equally decadent and delicious.
Other Recipes:
So, now you know how to make basic gajar ka halwa, here are a few delicious recipe ideas to make with that:
Carrot Halwa Ice CreamNo bake carrot halwa cheesecakeCarrot Poli
