Recipe for Gajar Ka Halwa

Gajar Ka Halwa is a winter dessert recipe from India. It is made with red carrots and milk as the main ingredients. The preparation time for this dessert is long; therefore, people make it in bigger quantities so that it lasts longer and be consumed over a couple of days. But the time and effort put into making Gajar ka Halwa are well worth it. The dessert is absolutely delicious and so tempting that it gets over in no time.

Let’s start with the recipe:

Ingredients needed for making Gajar Ka Halwa:

1. Carrots: 2 kg
2. Full-fat Milk: 2 liters
3. Sweetened Condensed Milk: 400 gm
4. Sugar: 300 gm
5. Saffron Strands: 8-10
6. Ghee: 100 gm
7. Chopped nuts like cashews, Almonds, and pistachios: 100 gm or as per your preference
8. Cardamom Powder: 1 teaspoon

Method for making Gajar Ka Halwa:

1. Wash, peel, and grate the carrots.
   
   
   
2. Transfer the carrots to a big, thick-bottomed pan. Add milk and saffron and start cooking them together. 
   
   
   
3. Keep the heat on medium and cook till the carrots are fully cooked, and at least 50% of the water ( released from the carrots and the milk) evaporates. Stir with a spatula from time to time so that milk solids don’t stick to the base of the pan. This may take about an hour.
   
4. Now add cardamom powder and sugar. 
   
   
   
5. Add condensed milk.
   
   
   
6. Continue cooking, stirring from time to time, till all the water evaporates, and only milk solids and carrots remain. This may take another hour or so.
   
   
   
7. Heat ghee in a separate pan. Fry the nuts. Now add this mixture to the Halwa. Cook together on medium heat for another 15 minutes.
   
   
   
8. Mix everything well and serve. 
   
   

Some additional Notes:

1. Normally Gajar Ka Halwa is made with red carrots as these carrots are sweeter than orange ones. However, if red carrots are unavailable, you can use orange ones ( just like I did).
2. Halwa tastes best when freshly made and served hot. If some of it is left, store it in a closed container in the fridge. Before serving, heat it in a microwave. If you are heating it on a pan, then add a little bit of milk and mix well, and you will get the right consistency.
3. I have added only almonds. You can add any nuts of your choice. Usually, cashews, pistachios, and raisins are added.

Check out other recipes from my kitchen here.

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