Gajar Ka Halwa

How to prepare Gajar Ka Halwa | Carrot Pudding Recipe | Gajar ka Halwa with Khoya Recipe | Gajar Halwa Recipe - Winter Special Indian Sweet Dish

Today I am sharing the season's very first preparation of Gajar ka Halwa. One can't announce the arrival of the winter season without making the Gajar ka Halwa.

Also refer: Urad Dal Dry Fruit Halwa

Gajar Ka Halwa is my one of the most passionately prepared sweet dish recipe. I am very confident with this preparation as my this recipe will help you a lot to make very perfect, delicious and mouth watering Gajar ka Halwa. 

Gajar ka Halwa is an extremely popular traditional dessert that is relished by everyone. This dessert is mainly prepared from grated carrots with milk, nuts, sugar, poppy seeds and mawa/Khoya (that is dried unsweetened thickened Milk).

There are many variations of Gajar ka Halwa present, but the main ingredients are freshly grated carrots, milk, sugar and ghee. It should be cooked in heavy bottom pan and best is to cook on slow flame to get the best Gajar ka Halwa.

✒ Ingredients required for Gajar Ka Halwa

• 2kg Carrots (Washed, peeled and grated) (After Peel you'll get approximately 1.5 -1.7 kg)

• 1200 ml Milk

• 100 -150 g Ghee (Clarified Butter)
• 15-20 Green Cardamom (powdered)
• 50 g Poppy Seeds (Khas khas)
• 250 g Mawa/Khoya
• 50 g Almonds
• 50 g Cashew nuts
• 50 g Pistachio
• 150-200 g Sugar (or as per your taste)

▶▶ Sugar also depends on quality of carrots. So add slowly and gradually and more so sugar goes last in cooking. 

✒ Recipe Details

• Servings 25-30
• Preparation Time: 25-30 minutes
• Cooking Time -150-200 minutes 

▶You must be surprised, but as cooking goes on slow and medium heat, it gets that much time.

✒ Method:

✏ Step 1: Mise en place 

◾ Wash, peel and grate the carrots with the help of grater or in  the food processor. 

◾Take green Cardamom, dry roast and crush it in mortar pestle or in the mixer grinder jar.

◾Coarsely grind half quantity of almonds and cashew nuts.

✏ Step 2: Cooking Time - Action

◾Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan, add cardamom powder, saute for 10-12 seconds.

◾Now Add grated carrots, blend well. 

◾First 3-5 minutes cook on high flame - stirring continuously, then cook on slow flame for 15- 20 minutes. (If this step is skipped then it will throw a raw feel of Gajar)

◾Now add poppy seeds and combine well. 

◾Cook for 5-10 minutes on slow fire..

◾then add milk (you can add warm milk, keep adding slowly and gradually)

◾Now its cooking time it takes almost 45-50 to reduce milk - keep stirring from time to time 

◾When you see milk is boiled down and reduced add Khoya and coarsely grinder nuts and mix well.

▶▶Khoya (unsweetened thick milk) which you add normally gets in lump form.

▶▶We have to get it very smooth. You can able to do with your hands like kneading dough, else execute it on non stick pan on slow flame. We want this texture.

◾Mix well and cook for another 3 minutes, and then add sugar

◾After adding sugar, cook for another 30- 35 minutes on slow flame, keep stirring from time to time as this is the time it will start sticking to the bottom, so need to be very careful.

◾ When ghee starts separating and leave the sides, it indicates your Gajar Halwa is properly cooked and ready to serve.

◾Garnish with nuts and serve hot or cold, as you like... But in winter we prefer pipping hot Gajar ka Halwa. Cheers! Happy winters.