Carrot halwa recipe | Gajar ka halwa | how to make carrot halwa with khoya
Carrot halwa recipe | gajar ka halwa | how to make gajar halwa | Carrot halwa with Khoya | gajrela | gajar pak with detailed step-by-step photos.
Carrot halwa is a vegetable-based halwa, a rich Indian carrot pudding made with freshly grated carrots, full-fat milk, sugar, and ghee as the main ingredients.
This carrot-based Indian dessert is very popular in Punjab and an extensively well-known delicacy in Pakistan and Bangladesh. So, the name "Ghajar" denotes carrot in Hindi, and "Halwa" is an Arabic word for sweet. Halwa is also spelled as halva, halvah, etc.
Gajar halwa is a very traditional dessert that can be made with ease. It is usually prepared by simmering grated carrots in full-fat milk, sweetened with sugar, and stirred in lots of ghee. It is also laced with grated khoya for a rich flavor.
This delicacy is specially made during festivals like Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, and is also served at many weddings. It is usually served warm or cold following a thali meal. Carrot halwa can be also be enjoyed with vanilla ice cream which is my all-time favorite and I always drool over this combo.
Gajar ka halwa is a winter delicacy, it is traditionally made with Delhi carrots which are sweeter than our regular Ooty carrots.
Also, Delhi carrots present a beautiful reddish hue to the halwa. However, this variety is rarely available in the US. So I made it with a regular orange one that is the next best alternative for this recipe.
Carrot halwa can be made in numerous ways, you can do it in Kadai/saucepan method, instant pot, pressure cooker, microwave, etc. But, I always prefer traditional Iron Kadai to make my halwa. Here, I don't have it in hand, so made it in a non-stick pan.
I personally like my carrot halwa to be fine, a bit fluffy with a smooth and silky texture, it should literally melt in my mouth. So I love to pour lots and lots of ghee in my halwa:)
Furthermore, I used a hand grater to grate the carrots. You may grate it thinly or a little thick and not over thick. If you grate the carrot too thick, it takes a lot of time to cook and the grated carrot pieces will stand out when you eat the halwa. I personally don't prefer that texture. So, grate it as per your choice.
This carrot halwa recipe is cooked in white sugar. It can also be replaced with jaggery, brown sugar, stevia, dates, etc. For a vegan version, milk can be substituted with almond milk, cashew milk, etc.
Similarly, to enhance the overall flavor, you can add either khoya/mawa or milkmaid/condensed milk at the final process. It will make the halwa richer and delicious.
Especially, adding khoya will get you a well-prepared hotel-style carrot halwa. This recipe is also made with khoya and I will soon post the milkmaid variant if I try it in the future. So, let's get started!
Recipe: Carrot halwa | Gajar ka halwa | how to make gajar ka halwa.
Serves - 2
Cuisine - Indian
Region - Punjab
Course - Dessert
Diet - Vegetarian
Prep time - 15 mins | Cook time - 45 mins | Total time - 1 hour
Author - Pavithra
Ingredients:
Carrot/Ghajar - 2 cup grated/4 medium/300 gms
Milk - 200 ml
Sugar - half cup / 100 gms
Khoya - half cup/ 150 gms
Ghee - 4 to 5 tbsp
Salt - A pinch
Saffron - 1 pinch soaked in 1 tbsp of water
To garnish:
Cardamom - A pinch
Pistachios - 10 sliced
Cashews - 10 halves
Almond - 5 slivered
How to make carrot halwa:
1. Grate the carrots finely/medium-thick in a hand grater or food processor.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a heavy-bottomed Kadai/wide pan and roast cashews, raisins until they turn golden brown over a low flame.
3. In the same pan, put the grated carrots and saute until the raw smell leaves off. It will also help to bring a nice orange color. This process takes around 5 mins.
4. Now, pour the milk and cook the carrots. Add saffron-infused water.
5. The carrots milk mixture starts to boil and gets thickened. Keep sauteeing. The milk needs to be completely absorbed and evaporated over a medium flame. (Note: This process takes around 20 mins).
6. Put sugar and it will start to loosen up. (Note: Sugar needs to be added only after the carrot milk is dehydrated).
7. After adding sugar, the extra water in the carrots will start to ooze out. Keep stirring the mixture.
8. Let the mixture gets thickened and stay soft at the same time.
9. Now add the crumbled/grated khoya or mawa. (Note: The mawa is added to enhance the taste).
10. Combine it well and add a pinch of salt and Switch off the flame. (Note: Do not saute the mixture for a long time after adding khoya. The maximum sauteeing time should not be more than 3 to 4 mins).
11. Now add the remaining ghee and mix it well. Then garnish the carrot halwa with the roasted nuts.
12. Serve warm or cold. You can pair it with vanilla ice cream or kheer.
How to make gajar ka halwa with stepwise photos:
1. Grate the carrots finely/medium-thick in a hand grater or food processor.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a heavy-bottomed Kadai/wide pan and roast cashews, raisins until they turn golden brown over a low flame.
3. In the same pan, put the grated carrots.
4. Saute until the raw smell leaves off. It will also help to bring a nice orange color and this process takes around 5 mins on medium flame.
5. Once the raw carrot smell leaves off, pour the milk, and cook the carrots. Add saffron-infused water.
6. The carrots-milk mixture starts to boil and get thickened.
8. Saute until the milk is completely absorbed and evaporated over a medium flame.
9. Then add sugar. (Note: Sugar needs to be added only after the carrot milk is dehydrated).
10. The mixture will start to loosen up.
11. After adding sugar, the extra water in the carrots will start to ooze out. Keep stirring the mixture.
12. Let the mixture gets thickened and stays soft at the same time.
13. Now add the crumbled/grated khoya or mawa. (Note: The mawa is added to enhance the flavor of the carrot halwa).
14. Combine it well and add a pinch of salt and Switch off the flame. (Note: Do not saute the halwa mixture for a long time after adding khoya. The maximum sauteeing time should be 3 to 4 mins).
15. Now add the remaining ghee and mix it well.
16. Then garnish the carrot halwa with the roasted nuts.
17. Serve warm or cold. You can pair it with vanilla ice cream or kheer.
Try these below recipes for this festival:
Health benefits of Carrot:
1. Carrots are packed with beta-carotene that converts our body into vitamin A.
2. Vitamin A is needed for good eyesight, immune system, growth and development, absorption of iron.
3. It contains Vitamin B6 which converts the food into energy.
4. It helps with blood pressure control.
5. It contains Vitamin K1 which promotes bone health.
6. It is rich in biotin, potassium.
7. It balances your blood sugar.
8. It helps indigestion.
9. Carrots are great for oral care, healthy skin, and hair.
10. It is low in calorie which helps to maintain body weight.
Health benefits of milk:
1. Strong and healthy bones.
2. Muscle growth.
3. It helps in weight loss.
4. Great energy booster.
5. Strengthens the immune system.
6. Good for eyesight.
7. Great source of vitamin D and calcium.
8. Healthy teeth,
9. Good for skin and hair.
10. Boosts immune system.
Health benefits of ghee:
1. Ghee is a dairy-based product but it is lactose and casein free. It is pure fat and doesn't contain any carbohydrates.
2. It contains healthy saturated fats.
3. Ghee is rich in butyric acid
4. It has a high smoke point -
5. It has high levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and antioxidants
6. It contains fat-soluble Vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E, K
7. Vitamin D helps our body to absorb calcium.
8. It keeps you satiated and helps with weight loss
9. Ghee is considered as a brain tonic in Ayurveda.
10. It helps with digestion.
11. Ghee is good for skin and hair.
12. It strengthens bones and boosts immunity.
Health benefits of cashew:
1. Rich in copper.
2. Good for the skin, teeth, and gums.
3. It has omega 3 fatty acids.
4. Rich in dietary fibers which helps to digest food well.
5. It has linoleic and oleic acids which help in getting healthy and shiny hair.
6. Cashew prevents heart disease.
7. It boosts bone and oral health
8. It prevents gallstones.
9. Cashews are cholesterol and sodium-free.
10. It is a great source of Vitamin K and healthy fats.
11. Good source of protein.
12. It provides energy and vitality.
13. Cashews contain selenium.
14. It improves blood.
15. It helps in weight loss.
Health benefits of saffron:
1. Helps in getting glowing skin
2. powerful antidepressants
3. It helps with weight loss.
4. It improves digestion.
5. It contains anti-oxidants.
6. Treats depression.
7. It boosts memory.
8. Helps with PMS and pain reliever.
9. Healthy heart.
10. Good for digestion.
11. Promotes mental health.
12. Prevents diabetes.
13. It relieves depression and keeps stress at bay.
14. Strengthens the nervous system.
(Health benefits are taken from Google and Wikipedia).
Do try this carrot halwa recipe or gajar ka halwa recipe and let me know how it turns up. Express your thoughts in the comment section below, can't wait to hear from you. If you try any of my recipes, please mention @paviskitchen and share it on social media using hashtag #paviskitchen on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook so that I can see your picture.
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Learn how to make carrot halwa/gajar ka halwa recipe with step by step photos and detailed procedure.
2 Comments
Nice colourful Carrot Halwa. Well presented with beautiful pics.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Revathi
Thank you so much:)
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