Name: Carrot Halwa | Gajar Halwa Recipe | Punjabi Gajar Ka Halwa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Carrots – 1/2 kgs or 5 nos approx.; Sugar – 1 cup or 200 gms; Whole Milk – 1+1/2 cup (300 ml); Ghee - 6 tbsp; Cashew nuts – 10; Almonds - 7 ((optional for garnishing)); Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

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Updated on February 24, 2019

Carrot Halwa or Punjabi Gajar Ka Halwa with step by step photos. Carrot Halwa is made across India for all the festival celebrations like Diwali, Sankranti, Holi and for family celebrations as well.

Carrot Halwa in my opinion is the ultimate Indian dessert or sweet ever. I would even declare it the King of Indian sweets. There could be nothing more perfect than a bowl of warm carrot halwa on a cold day during Winter.

The chewy, caramelized carrots slow cooked in an open vessel for almost an hour is a treat in itself not only to kids but to adults as well. Its surprising that a dessert could taste so heavenly with just a handful of ingredients.

Gajar ka Halwa always takes me back to the time while I was working as a recipe tester for an electric rice cooker company. We used to make it daily, a number of times to get the timings and consistency perfect to get it printed in the cook book. I got so thorough that I can cook carrot halwa with my eyes closed in sleep as well.

There are several ways by which you can cook this carrot halwa. You can use pressure cooker or the microwave to cut short the process of cooking but the real taste lies in taking the time and painstakingly cooking it over low flame continuously in an open pan. Its incomparable.

Mostly I use my electric rice cooker as I do not like to spend much time in making this halwa however much I love it, but this time challenged and pushed myself to cook it the traditional way as my entire family loves when made the traditional way.

I was so happy to see fresh Delhi Carrots in the shop from which I used to buy vegetables a few weeks ago, Halwa is what I could think of immediately.

I have always felt that these carrots are much more juicier and sweeter than the regular ones and when made into a halwa these carrots give the dessert a more bright and deep orangish hue that the regular ones fail to give.

I also personally prefer these carrots only to make halwa as I can always cut short on the sugar and depend on the natural sweetness of the carrots which are at any given time more healthier. But if they are not available at your place or when not in season, by all means use the regular carrots.

Carrot Halwa Recipe with Step by Step Photos:

1. Wash and trim both the ends of the carrots. Lightly scrape the outer skin using a peeler. Grate the carrots using a grater. I used my food chopper.

2. Heat a thick bottomed pan with 3 tbsp ghee and roast broken cashew nuts till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Add the grated carrots and mix well. A wooden spatula works well.

3. Saute for 15-20 mins over low flame till the raw smell of the carrots disappear. Add all the milk and mix well. Increase the flame to medium and cook while stirring often.

4. After 15 mins the carrots would have cooked well absorbing the milk an thickened considerably. Now add the sugar and mix well.

5. After adding the sugar once again the mixture will become liquefied. Cook over low flame till the halwa once again starts to become thick.

6. After 5-7 mins, add crushed cardamom pods, remainig ghee, roasted cashew nuts and mix well. Cook over low flame for another 5-7 mins till the halwa comes together in a ball without sticking to the sides. Garnish with almond slivers and serve either hot or cold.

Check out other easy dessert recipes like Carrot kheer, custard powder halwa, mango sheera to make for festivals and other special occasions and get togethers or potlucks.

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