Gajar ka Halwa

Gajar ka Halwa

A beloved North Indian dessert of slow-cooked red carrots simmered in milk until thick, then enriched with butter and sugar. It is especially popular in winter, when sweet red carrots are in season.

Prep

15 min

Cook

90 min

Total

105 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) red carrots (gajar), traditional Delhi-style red carrots; if unavailable, use a mix of regular carrots and a small beet for color, or null
• •1000 ml (4 cups) full-fat whole milk, must be full-fat for proper reduction, or null
• •80 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, Indian white butter (makhan) is traditional; ghee also works, or null
• •150 g (¾ cup) sugar, adjust to taste; traditionally granulated white sugar, or null
• •6 g (1 tsp) green cardamom powder, freshly ground from pods is best, or null
• •30 g (¼ cup) almonds, blanched and slivered, or null
• •30 g (¼ cup) cashews, broken into pieces, or null
• •20 g (2 tbsp) golden raisins, optional but common, or null
• •1 g (a pinch) saffron strands, optional, bloomed in 1 tbsp warm milk, or null

Steps

1. 1 Wash, peel, and grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater (or pulse in a food processor). You should have about 750 g grated.
2. 2 Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom.
3. 3 Add the grated carrots to the milk, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom, for 40 to 60 minutes, until the milk has thickened and reduced by about two-thirds and the carrots are very tender.
4. 4 Meanwhile, heat 20 g (about 1½ tbsp) of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry the almonds and cashews until golden, then add the raisins and toss for 20 seconds until they plump. Set aside.
5. 5 When the milk has reduced and the carrots are tender, add the remaining 60 g (about ¼ cup) butter and stir until melted and well combined.
6. 6 Add the sugar and stir. The mixture will loosen slightly as the sugar melts; continue to cook for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the halwa thickens again and pulls away from the sides of the pan, leaving a glossy layer of fat on the surface.
7. 7 Stir in the cardamom powder, saffron milk (if using), and the toasted nuts and raisins. Cook for 1 more minute.
8. 8 Doneness check: the halwa should mound on a spoon and hold its shape, with a thick, cohesive texture and no watery milk pooling at the bottom of the pan.
9. 9 Serve warm or at room temperature. It is traditionally garnished with a few extra nuts and a thin drizzle of malai (clotted cream) if available.