Gajar Ka Halwa Recipes

GAJAR KA HALWA

Steps:

• Bring the milk to boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, stirring often to keep the milk from burning. Reduce the heat enough to keep the milk in a low boil, and cook, stirring frequently, until the milk is reduced to about 1 1/2 to 2 cups, about 20 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the nuts and cook, stirring, until golden and crunchy, about 2 minutes; remove to a paper towel and set aside.
• In the same skillet, add the carrots and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the carrots soften and dry up a little, about 15 minutes. If the carrots start sticking, add 1 tablespoon ghee.
• Add the reduced milk and cardamom if using and increase the heat to medium-high. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat a touch to maintain a heavy simmer, stirring regularly, until the milk is completely absorbed by the carrots, about 30 minutes.
• Add the sugar and cook, stirring regularly, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Remove and discard the cardamom seeds if desired.
• If serving right away, add 3 tablespoons of ghee and cook, stirring, until the halwa starts pulling away from the side of the pan and is a little caramelized, about 10 minutes. Garnish with nuts before serving.
• Ideally, you should make the halwa earlier in the day or the day before. Just before serving, heat some ghee in a wok or large skillet (in India they would do it in a kadhai), add some of the halwa (just as much as you want to eat) and cook, stirring, until somewhat caramelized and a little crunchy. Garnish with the nuts and serve.

GAJAR KA HALWA (CARROT HALWA)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add carrots. Cook and stir briefly, about 3 minutes. Pour in milk and increase heat; bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 1 hour.
• Bring carrot-milk mixture back to a boil. Add sugar, raisins, cardamom, and saffron. Cook and stir until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Ladle carrot halwa into 8 individual serving dishes. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon pistachios. Serve warm or chill before serving.

CARROT HALWA | GAJAR HALWA RECIPE

Steps:

• Wash carrots under running water & peel them.
• Grate them in a food processor or with a hand grater.
• Dry roast nuts on a low heat until crunchy, cool & chop them. OR Alternately chop the nuts first & fry them in 1 tbsp ghee until slightly golden. Then add raisins & fry until they plump up. Remove to a plate.
• Next bring milk to a boil in a heavy bottom pot or deep pan.
• Add grated carrots and cook on a medium heat stirring often.
• Do not leave the pot unattended as the milk will get scorched.
• When the milk has completely evaporated add sugar and stir well.
• Sugar will release lot of moisture & will make the entire carrot halwa gooey.
• Cook until half the moisture evaporates, then stir in the ghee.
• Saute the carrot halwa well in ghee until the moisture evaporates completely.
• When it is done gajar halwa turns aromatic & thickens. It will still be moist. Sprinkle cardamom powder.
• Garnish carrot halwa with nuts. Serve warm or chilled with Ice cream.
• Press the saute button and add 1 tbsp ghee to the steel insert of the IP.
• When it is hot fry the nuts until light golden.
• Then add in raisins if using. When they plump up remove to a plate.
• Then add in the carrots & saute for 2 to 3 mins stirring well.
• Pour 1 cup milk and mix well. Deglaze by scrubbing the bottom of the pot with a spatula.
• Secure the instant pot & position the steam release handle to sealing.
• Press the pressure cook (manual) button & set the timing to 3 mins.
• When the instant pot beeps and finishes, do a manual pressure release carefully.
• Stir in the sugar, ghee & cardamom powder.
• Press the saute button & saute until the milk evaporates completely.
• Garnish gajar halwa with chopped nuts & raisins.

GAJAR KA HALWA | CARROT HALWA

Steps:

• First rinse, peel and then grate the carrots (8-9 medium sized tender juicy carrots), either with a hand held grater or in a food processor.
• You need approx 4 to 4.5 cups grated carrots.
• In a kadai or deep thick bottomed pan combine milk and grated carrots.
• On a low to medium flame, bring the whole mixture to a boil and then simmer.
• While the mixture is simmering on a low flame, keep on stirring in between.
• The grated carrots will cook in the milk and the milk will start to reduce and evaporate.
• When the milk has 75% reduced, add the ghee, sugar and powdered cardamom to the mixture.
• Stir well and continue to simmer and cook on a low flame.
• Do keep on stirring the halwa in between.
• Towards the end, add the cashews, almonds, saffron and raisins. Simmer the halwa till all the milk is evaporated. Switch off the burner.
• Serve gajar halwa hot, warm or you can also serve it cold. garnish with some chopped dry fruits while serving.