Gajar Halwa (Carrot Halwa)
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Gajar Halwa (Carrot Halwa), an epitome of finest Indian sweets, is a delicious dessert prepared from carrot and milk. This recipe uses full cream milk to make halwa which is not overly sweet. The ghee and cardamom powder gives it an unparalleled aroma and rich texture. Whether you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, excite your kids or entertain guests, serve this classic, rich, creamy sweet as dessert and watch them helping for seconds.
| Ingredients: |
| 2 cups peeled and grated Carrot |
| 1½ cups (375 ml) full fat Milk |
| 2½ tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter) |
| 1/4 cup Sugar |
| 5 Cashew nuts, chopped |
| 5 Almonds, sliced |
| 8 Raisins |
| 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom Powder |
Directions:
- Heat ghee in non-stick pan or heavy based pan over medium flame. Add grated carrots and roast them for 3-4 minutes while mixing continuously.
- Pour milk over ghee roasted carrots and stir to mix well. Bring it to boil over medium flame.
- When it starts to boil, reduce flame to low and cook until almost milk is absorbed and mixture starts to thicken. It will take approx. 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally in between to prevent sticking.
- Cook until all milk is absorbed and mixture turns thick for approx. 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally in between.
- Add sugar, chopped cashew nuts and raisins, mix well. Stir and cook until sugar is dissolved; approx. 3-4 minutes.
- Add cardamom powder, mix properly and turn off the flame.
- Transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish with sliced almonds.
Tips and Variations:
- Do not add sugar along with milk in step-2 as adding it early will not give soft texture.
- If you are planning to serve carrot halwa with ice cream, then let there be some milk in it (in step-4) to make it extra soft and moist.
- Type and quality of gajar plays an important role in ultimate taste of this sweet. Use carrots which are sweet and juicy.
- Add 1/4 cup unsweetened khoya (mawa) in step-4 for a nice creamy texture. If you are using sweet khoya, then adjust sugar accordingly.
- Make richer, creamier, gajar halwa with condensed milk by adding 1/4 cup sweet condensed milk and reducing sugar to 1 tablespoon.
Taste: Sweet and soft
Serving Ideas: There are multiple ways in which simple gajar ka halwa can be enjoyed. You can either serve it hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an amazing hot and cold creamy dessert or serve it as a sweet accompaniment in Indian lunch. No matter which way you are going to enjoy this sweet creation, it’s going to make your taste buds go gaga.