Gajar Ka Halwa - Carrot dessert
If there is one thing to look forward to when winter rolls around and carrots are plentiful in the fields, it is Gajar ka Halwa. Gajar ka halwa or gajrela as it is also called is a favorite dessert in India. While carrots in India are sweeter and darker in color giving the dish a natural decadent sweetness from the carrots, the local carrots from the farm also make a delicious gajar ka halwa.
Traditionally this recipe would have taken a lot of time to make. Modern day gadgets, such as the food processor and instant pot, make quick work of a lot of the laborious tasks. In another change from tradition, I used a non-dairy ‘milk’ to make the recipe since we have some lactose intolerant people in the family. If dairy is not an issue for you, do use whole milk and some cream in the recipe. It really tastes delicious!
Don’t worry about the amount of ghee that is used in the recipe. Ghee is considered a healthy fat and helps your body absorb nutrients better. So use it in all your cooking to get the most out of the food you are eating (but like everything else, use it in moderation).
Ingredients
6 ½ cups appx. carrots, grated
¼ cup water
¾ cup full fat whole milk OR full fat canned coconut milk
¾ cup brown sugar
5 tbsp ghee
Raisins, handful
3-4 cardamom pods, seeds crushed or ⅛ tsp cardamom powder
Nuts - walnuts, almonds, pistachio, chopped
Method
Peel the carrots and grate them in a food processor.
Add the carrots, water and milk/milk substitute in the instant pot and pressure cook for 1 min. Release all the pressure right away and open.
Add the sugar to the hot carrots and cook in Saute mode till the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
Then, add the ghee and cook the carrots some more till the mixture looks roasted and the ghee leaves the mixture on the sides. Stir often to prevent the carrots from burning.
Add the raisins and cardamom powder and mix. Top with your choice of chopped nuts and enjoy!
-Neemun
Note: If you don’t have an instant pot you can still make this in a regular pot. You will just have to monitor and keep stirring it while the carrots are cooking and you are reducing the liquid.