Carrot Halwa {Gajar Ka Halwa}

Carrot Halwa {Gajar Ka Halwa} is a Pakistani sweet pudding made of red carrots. This popular recipe for the delicious dessert is especially favored during the winter months. Since it happens to be a personal favorite, I often make it for special occasions regardless of the season!

Recipe Origins

The word “halwa” means sweet in Arabic and “Gajar” means Carrot. Based on medium.com halwa was first introduced to South Asian Cuisine during the Mughal Era. However, In the book ‘Feasts and Fasts’, author Colleen Taylor Sen writes that the Halwa arrived in India during the Delhi Sultanate, from the early 13th to the mid-16th century. Wherever it originated it's one of the best desserts South Asian Cuisine has to offer.

Both a popular Indian dessert as well as a Pakistani one, Carrot halwa {Gajar ka halwa} is seen at Indian Festivals and Pakistani ones alike. A classic dessert in both North India and the Punjab region of Pakistan, this popular dessert is featured on menus under Diwali recipes and Eid recipes alike.

Cooking Techniques

This recipe uses the traditional method of making the Carrot Halwa {Gajar ka Halwa}, but today there are many different ways to prepare it. Many people like to use the pressure cooker as it helps to quicken the cooking process.

I find that this slow cooked version has a richer creamier taste, but not everyone has that much time to spare. If you’re looking for an Instant Pot carrot Halwa you’re unfortunately in the wrong place, but if you want an authentic old-fashioned recipe then this is the spot!

The Recipe

The list of ingredients is fairly short for this recipe and the technique is not very complex. The amount of cooking time is long simply because the carrots release a lot of water as they cook. Most of the time in the recipe is spent waiting for the liquid to dry up. The carrots are naturally sweet and this, mixed with the sugar and milk is what creates that perfect pudding like consistency this sweet treat is famous for.

The ingredients

The Carrots

The halwa is traditionally made with fresh carrots that are grated using either a box grater or food processor. Ideally, red carrots should be used. However, these are not often available.

A vibrant, bright orange will suffice but try to avoid the paler variety if possible as the halwa will turn out looking very pale.

The sweetness of the carrots is just as important as the color. Orange carrots just will not work, so it’s best to wait till the perfect juicy carrots are available.

Then go buy a whole kilogram carrot, grab your hand grater or food processor and prep your grated carrots. Just make sure not to do a fine grate but a slightly coarse one for the perfect texture.

The Milk

Just as important as the carrots is the type of milk and the amount of milk you use. Some recipes call for powder milk, some for evaporated milk and some, like the Instant Pot Recipe require condensed milk.

This recipe uses plain and simple whole milk. Low fat milk does not work, as the fat in the full cream milk is what makes the Halwa creamy. If you want a truly authentic version of the halwa, you can add a little bit of milk solids, called “khoya”, right at the end to add some depth of flavor.

For the amount, I always use equal amounts of carrots and milk, in this case that's 8 cups carrots to 8 cups milk.

Want to make a Vegan version of the Halwa? Use Almond Milk or Cashew Milk instead.

The Sugar

For best results, use plain white sugar. There are recipes which call for the use of jaggery (a product of sugar cane) but I’ve always used plain and simple white sugar. It caramelizes as it cooks and adds amazing flavor to the halwa through this process alone.

You may need to alter the amount of sugar depending on how sweet the carrots are. I would suggest adding 1 cup and letting the mixture cook halfway before checking the taste and adding more.

The Cooking Oil

Traditionally, Gajar Ka Halwa is cooked in Ghee. I personally use Avocado Oil for most of my cooking but any one of the following are good options:

• Peanut Oil
• Canola Oil
• Sunflower Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Coconut Oil

If you want some of that authentic flavor, but want to minimize cost, you can mix a little bit of Ghee with any one of the above cooking oils.

The Cardamom

Fresh green cardamom adds the perfect aroma and is a part of most Pakistani desserts. For best results, break actual cardamom pods to remove the seeds versus using cardamom powder. Coarsely crush the seeds to release the aroma and then add them in at two different stages.

Add in half when you start roasting the carrot mixture. By the time you’re done roasting the carrots, this cardamom will have lost some of its aroma. To maintain the delicious smell, add in the rest right at the end.

The Garnish

The last and final group of ingredients are the garnishes. My favorites are slivered almonds and chopped pistachios. But golden raisins are also a very popular Add in or Garnish.

While I simply scatter my nuts on top of my serving dish after I dish out the Halwa, some people like to roast the nuts in a tablespoon of ghee before adding them in.

The Cooking Technique

Boiling The Carrot Mixture

In the first stage of making the Halwa, the carrots are cooked along with the milk and sugar on a medium flame. It’s best to start out with carrots at room temperature as the mixture will reach a boiling point quicker this way.

It’s also best to use a large pan that is wide as this allows for evaporation of the liquid in less time.

As the liquid evaporates it may be necessary to adjust the heat and change settings to low medium heat and eventually even low heat. The Halwa requires slow cooking at this stage to allow the carrots to get cooked through and towards the end a low flame is required.

Stirring will also be necessary at regular intervals to ensure that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

The cooking time for this stage is about 1 hour depending on individual cooking conditions.

Roasting The Halwa

Once all of the liquid has evaporated, it's time to start roasting the Halwa. Heat your Ghee or Oil, Sauté the cardamom and start roasting the reduced carrot mixture. Make sure to use a heavy bottom pan at this point so the Halwa doesn’t stick to the bottom as the sugar starts caramelizing. This can cause the Halwa to turn black due to charring and also alter the taste.

Roast for a good 15-20 minutes till the carrots bind together and turn a deep rich red. Then add in the remaining cardamom, garnish with the dry fruits of your choice and serve.

Storage & Reheating The Halwa

The Halwa will stay ok in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 3-4 weeks. I know many sources state that the Halwa can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months but in my personal opinion after about a month it doesn’t taste as fresh.

For reheating, I would microwave the halwa in 30 second increments till it reaches the desired temperature. Defrost the halwa first if it was in the freezer and then follow the same instructions.

If you wish to reheat the halwa in a large quantity, put it in a serving dish, cover with foil and place it in a preheated oven. The temperature should be 350 degrees Fahrenheit and the reheating time should be 20-30 minutes.

If you are serving this at a large gathering, heat it for 20 minutes, at the temperature above, then turn the oven off and leave it inside to keep warm.

Other Pakistani Desserts To Try

• gulab-jamun-with-milk-powder
• vermicelli-sweet-recipe
• mango-kulfi
• sooji-ka-halwa
• easy-mango-and-cream-dessert
• sugar-paratha-meetha-paratha
• khalifa-nankhatai-pakistani-cardamom-shortbread-cookies
• pakistani-bakery-style-almond-cake
• coffee-cake-with-buttercream-icing

Enjoy your Halwa and don't forget to drop a comment and rating when you try the recipe!