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Carrot Halwa {Gajar Ka Halwa}
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5 from 2 votes

Carrot Halwa {Gajar Ka Halwa}

Carrot Halwa {Gajar Ka Halwa} is a rich and delicious Pakistani pudding made with carrots, milk, sugar, cardamom and nuts.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani
Keyword: Carrot Pudding, Indian Desserts, Winter Desserts
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 464kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 cups shredded carrots (SEE NOTES)
  • 8 cups full fat milk
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup cooking oil (SEE NOTES)
  • 12 cardamom (SEE NOTES)
  • ¼ cup almonds
  • ¼ cup pistachios

Instructions

  • Add the carrots, milk and sugar to a pot and cook on medium high till the mixture reaches a boil. (SEE NOTES)
  • Lower the flame just enough to prevent spillover and cook uncovered till all the milk has dried up (this usually takes about 1 hour)
  • Heat the cooking oil, saute half of the cardamom (SEE NOTES) in it for about 30 seconds to release the aroma and then start roasting the cooked carrot mixture till it comes together in a pudding like consistency and is a rich deep red (about 15-20 minutes)
  • Add in the remaining cardamom, Garnish with the nuts and serve.

Notes

Carrots - Typically, in Pakistan, this halwa is made in winter with carrots that are especially red. Here in the USA it's not always possible to find the exact variety but just try and look for the juiciest, brightest ones you can get hold of. When grating the carrots, I use a food processor but use a grater plate that shreds them a little thick. If you shred them too fine then the consistency of the halwa will be too mushy.
Cooking Oil - Traditionally, most Pakistani and Indian desserts are cooked with ghee. I prefer to use avocado oil but any high smoke point oil is an option, or you can use part ghee and part other oil. 
Cardamom - I know 24 cardamom pods sound like a lot, but once you take the seeds out and crush them, it doesn't amount to much for this quantity of carrots. I would highly recommend sticking to this amount but if you feel like it's too much for you, then reduce the amount. The first half are added at the time of roasting, but during the process some of the aroma is lost so the rest are added later to counter that.
Boiling The Mixture - Since the carrots, milk and sugar are all mixed together, they must be cooked on medium high at most. A temperature any higher than that will cause the mixture to stick to the bottom. Once the mixture has reached a boiling point cook the carrots uncovered at medium heat, stirring every 10 minutes or so till all the liquid dries up. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 14530IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 1mg