Gajar Halwa

Gajar Halwa

The classic winter sweet of North India: grated carrots slow-cooked in milk until thick, glossy and caramelized, perfumed with cardamom and finished with toasted nuts. Patience is the key ingredient.

Prep

15 min

Cook

75 min

Total

90 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1.1 lb) carrots, preferably red Delhi carrots; otherwise regular carrots
• •750 ml (3 cups) whole milk, do not use low-fat
• •60 g (¼ cup) ghee
• •120 g (½ cup) sugar, adjust to taste
• •4 g (1 tsp) green cardamom powder, from about 6 to 8 pods
• •30 g (¼ cup) cashews, halved or whole
• •20 g (3 tbsp) raisins, optional, golden or black
• •2 g (½ tsp) saffron strands, optional, bloomed in 1 tbsp warm milk
• •1 g (¼ tsp) rose water or kewra water, optional

Steps

1. 1 Peel and grate the carrots on the fine holes of a box grater, or pulse briefly in a food processor. You should have about 450 g grated.
2. 2 In a heavy, wide pan or kadhai, combine the grated carrots and milk. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently so the milk does not scorch on the bottom.
3. 3 Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every couple of minutes, until almost all the milk has been absorbed and the carrots are very soft, 45 to 55 minutes. The mixture will look glossy and jammy, not watery.
4. 4 While the carrots cook, melt 15 g of the ghee in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry the cashews until golden, then add the raisins and cook until they puff, about 20 seconds. Tip out and set aside.
5. 5 Once the milk is absorbed, add the remaining 45 g ghee and the sugar. Stir well and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more; the sugar will loosen the mixture at first, then it will thicken again as it cooks.
6. 6 Stir in the cardamom, bloomed saffron if using, and rose or kewra water. Cook 1 minute more.
7. 7 Fold in the toasted cashews and raisins. The halwa is ready when a spoon leaves a clean trail across the bottom of the pan and the mixture holds its shape in a soft mound.
8. 8 Serve warm, garnished with extra nuts. It will thicken further as it cools; loosen with a splash of hot milk when reheating.