Carrot Halwa (Pakistani Gajar Ka Halwa)
Carrot Halwa (Pakistani Gajar Ka Halwa) is a rich, delicious Pakistani pudding made with cooked-down carrots, milk, sugar, cardamom, and nuts.
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Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded carrots (see notes)
- 4 cups full fat milk
- 1 cups sugar
- ½ cup cooking oil (see notes)
- 6 cardamom (see notes)
- ⅛ cup almonds
- ⅛ 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. (see notes)
- Heat the cooking oil, saute half of the cardamom 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. This will take about 15-20 minutes. (see notes)
- 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 with 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 avocado oil, but any high-smoke point oil is an option. You can also use part ghee and part other oil.
Cardamom—Use freshly crushed cardamom seeds, as cardamom powder is less aromatic. The first half is added at the time of roasting, but during the process, some of the aroma is lost, so the rest is added at the end to counter that.
Boiling the Mixture—Since the carrots, milk, and sugar are all mixed, they can't be cooked on high heat as the mixture will start sticking to the bottom of your pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook on medium-high. After half the milk has evaporated, stir every 5-10 minutes until all the liquid dries up.
Nutrition
Serving: 1personCalories: 464kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 7gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 121mgPotassium: 588mgFiber: 4gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 14530IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 247mgIron: 1mg
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