Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa) (2024)

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About Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)

Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa, Indian Carrot Pudding) is a popular North Indian and Pakistani dessert made with red winter carrots. In different Indian languages, it is also called gajrela, gajar pak, or gajorer halwa.

This dessert is made only in winter when red carrots are in season.

Every house has its recipe for this dessert, but if you take my word for it, my mom’s carrot halwa recipe is one of the best I have ever tasted. Anyone who has tasted it has said the same.

She does not take shortcuts or skimp on ghee and khoya when making this delicious sweet. I am glad I learned her recipe and am now sharing it with you all to try.

To make the best gajar ka halwa, you will need six basic ingredients, some time, and a lot of muscle work.

Ingredients

Carrots – This halwa is made using red carrots available only in winter. They are sweet and give the halwa a nice red color.

Check your nearby Indian grocery stores to source them.

You can replace the red carrots with black carrots, too. Black carrots are available in some parts of India during winter and taste great in this halwa.

Note – Do not try it with orange carrots; they taste salty, and your halwa will not turn out well.

Granulated White Sugar – I like my carrot halwa, which is mildly sweet, but you can adjust the sugar to your taste. You can also replace the granulated white sugar with brown sugar or powdered jaggery.

Milk & Khoya – Use whole milk (full-fat milk) only.

Khoya (Khava, Milk Solids) is traditionally used to make this halwa recipe. It is readily available in any Indian grocery store’s refrigerator or freezer section.

If khoya is unavailable, mix milk powder with some milk and make a thick dough. You can use it in place of khoya.

Ghee – Ghee adds richness and makes the halwa more delicious.

Nuts – I added slivered almonds and pistachios. To make it richer, you can also add cashews, raisins, etc.

Cardamom Powder – Adding freshly ground cardamom powder gives the halwa a delicious flavor and aroma.

Add a pinch of saffron while cooking to make this popular Indian dessert even more indulgent.

How To Make Gajar Ka Halwa

Preparation

Wash 500 g of red carrots with water and peel them using a vegetable peeler.

Now grate the carrots using the medium hole of a box grater.

You can also use a food processor to grate the carrots.

Grate 120 g of khoya using the medium hole of a box grater.

Gather the remaining ingredients.

Make The Halwa

Add 500 g of grated red carrots and 2 cups whole milk to a heavy bottom pan and mix well.

Cook on medium-low heat until all the milk is absorbed (20-25 minutes), stirring frequently.

Once the milk is absorbed and the carrot mixture looks thick, add 60 g of ghee to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add 120 g of sugar and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Note – You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar to your liking. I like very lightly sweet halwa, and this measurement is perfect for that.

Once the sugar is dissolved well, add 120 g of grated khoya to the pan and cook for 25-30 minutes or until ghee leaves on the sides, stirring at regular intervals.

Add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder and 4 tablespoon of slivered almonds and pistachios and mix well.

Serve hot.

Pro Tips By Neha

Making gajar halwa in traditional style is time-consuming and labor-intensive, but the final result is worth the effort. However, if you want to take a shortcut, check out this Instant Pot recipe.

Gajar Halwa is best served hot, on its own, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It can also be served at room temperature.

For extra crunch, top it with loads of slivered nuts. To make it extra indulgent, top it with some grated khoya.

This halwa can also be eaten on vrat (Hindu fasting days).