Traditional Gajar Ka Halwa Recipe

Gajrela is a winter delicacy very popular in Northern India and can be made in many ways but I follow 2 delicious easy ways. 

The moment the markets get the Delhi Gajar as they are called I end up making this delicious  Indian sweet pudding recipe. I am sharing  2 methods of making gajar ka halwa that I use on a regular basis. So do read on this delicious gajar ka halwa recipe that I am sharing. But to get all my posts do subscribe and join my newsletter. You will not miss a single post and I promise not to spam you.

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Contents:

• So what is Gajar ka Halwa?
• Ingredients to make Gajar ka Halwa Recipe:
• How to make Gajrela Recipe
• Frequently asked questions
• Recipe Card For the Traditional Method
• Some other Delicious Halwa Recipes
• Pin for Later

So what is Gajar ka Halwa Recipe?

Gajar ka halwa or Gajrla is an Indian sweet pudding made with fresh carrots. The alternative names are gajorer halua, gajar pak, and carrot halwa. In the traditional method and my favourite boiling the gajar in milk then adding sugar and clarified butter called ghee. The second is using condensed milk. Then you can also use khoya or evaporated milk to make the recipe.

Ingredients to make Traditional Gajar ka Halwa Recipe:

• Carrots:  you need tender and juicy carrots. I wait for the delicious carrots known as dili ke gajar but you can use the orange ones too. I have seen some recipes use Kali Gajar or black/purple carrots to make this yum halwa.
• Milk: full-fat milk this is one ingredient I will not skimp on. Then you can also replace milk with milkmaid or condensed milk, or evaporated milk fat called khoya. 
• Sugar: I have not tried replacing the regular sugar with sugar-free or even with jaggery for 1 jaggery and milk, not a good idea your milk will curdle. If I am eating sweets I will eat with sugar no free stuff, please. I would like to say portion control but I fail miserably.
• Ghee: clarified butter you definitely need some ghee, use little less if you wish but since winter comes once in a year!! Come on enjoy life!
• Nuts and raisins: add them skip them anything you wish I generally stick to cashew nuts only but add almonds, raisins the taste is awesome. You can add these nuts and raisins in the cooking gajar halwa or fry them up in clarified butter before adding them in the end. They have a nice crunch then.

How to make Gajrela Recipe:

• If you are using the seasonal carrots and the Dilli gajar then you can cook your carrots in milk.
  • If you are using any other carrots or planning to use the condensed milk you should be looking at the second part I have added below. But currently, let us assume you are with Dilli gajar and making the Halwa in the traditional way.
• Whatever the carrots have to be first grated. Use the box grater, handheld grater or the food processor. Now when you are hand grating carrots you will be thankful if your carrots are tender and juicy. The food processor of course makes grating a breeze. To get 4 cups of grated carrots you will need about 600 grams of carrots. Peel and grate them.
• Traditionally made in a heavy iron kadhai/wok you need to stir the halwa on regular basis. Like me, if you are not keen on an iron kadhai then use any thick pan. These days I am a bit crazy about my new pan this beautiful thick pan that I picked up on Amazon. (will link it below). Its steel and thick enough not to burn the milk I will add to simmer my halwa in. You can also use your pressure pan or any non-stick pan.

Making Gajar Halwa in milk :

• Recipe method 1:
  • So put your pan on the low flame and add your 4 cups of carrots, add 4 cups of milk and start cooking the carrots.  You can stir occasionally initially especially since the pan is thick this prevents the bottom from burning. Stir and check especially as the milk starts evaporating. 
  • Cook until the milk evaporates then add 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoon clarified butter. Stir the sugar melts and becomes watery. Cook till the mixture becomes nice and dry.  Stir often so that the halwa does not stick to the bottom.
  • Since I prefer my nuts to be crunchy I fry them in a small pan with 1tbsp of ghee. Then add the whole mixture finally once the halwa is done, but you can add it with the sugar.  Add the green cardamom powder and stir.
  • Serve as you wish hot, warm or chilled!
• Recipe method 2:
  • Add 1 tablespoon of clarified butter and fry all your nuts till nice golden brown. Set aside.
  • Add the rest of the clarified butter, 3 tablespoon and add the 4 cups of carrots. One tip (keep the flame low as the ghee has a lower smoking point).
  • Once you add carrots stir fry the carrots. the carrots should be tender and you get a great aroma.
  • Now add the 4 cups milk and mix well. Cook till the milk evaporates.
  • Add sugar and stir the 1 cup sugar melts and becomes watery. Stir in the green cardamom powder.
  • Cook till the mixture becomes nice and dry.  Stir often so that the halwa does not stick to the bottom.
  • Add the nuts and serve hot, warm or chilled!

How to make Carrot Halwa with Milkmaid:

• Making gajar halwa with condensed milk also called milkmaid or
  • when using the orange carrots I change my method of making my halwa.
• Heat some ½ tablespoon of ghee and add all you nuts and raisins(if using) till nice golden, the raisins swell up. Drain and set aside.
• For about 4 cups of grated carrots, I add 2- ½ tablespoon of ghee or clarified butter and sauté the carrots in a thick pan/wok. The carrots should be cooked tender and this takes about 15-20 minutes. Keep the flame low we are making gajar halwa and not burnt gajar halwa.
• Once the carrots are tender add the milkmaid about ¾ (300 grams) of the tin. Mix well.
• Cook till the mixture thickens stirring often. Towards the end as the halwa is almost done stir a bit more frequently.
• Add nuts, raisins and the cardamom powder stir and mix well.
• Serve warm or chilled.  

Other interesting winter recipes you will love are

• Kachaya Dinka chi Pud Recipe, Hot Chocolate Bombs Recipe, Spicy Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon/Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon and Red Chilli.

Frequently asked questions:

• Is Gajar ka Halwa good for health?

  

  Carrots are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre, then carrots are good for eyesight. Ghee or clarified butter are good source of healthy fats and contain nutrients that are beneficial for weight loss and maintaining good health. Green cardamom apparently speeds up fat metabolism. I will not use jaggery with milk use little sugar and the most important do not go back for 3rd helping! 😀

• Can I use orange carrots to make Gajar ka halwa?

  

  Yes, of course, use the orange ones, black ones to make your halwa. Only saute the grated carrots in clarified butter till tender and you get a lovely aroma before you add milk.
  

• How to make green cardamom powder?

  

  Elichi powder or green cardamom powder that most Indian recipes call for is easy to make. You can peel the cardamom and crush them with mortar pestle. If you need them on a regular basis then crush some in the mixer’s chutney jar.
  But, I prefer to peel the cardamon and add a little sugar to the seeds. Take your rolling pin and apply pressure crush the seeds. The sugar helps to absorb the oils released and you can make fine or coarse powder as you need.
  

• Is Carrot halwa served hot or cold?

  

  Gajrela when I make it and it is hot tastes great, when warm tastes better you can enjoy the flavours better. Now chilled Gajar halwa tastes awesome too! The best way to eat Gajar Halwa is warm with ice cream. These are of course my preferences there are no rules on how to serve the halwa. But since it is made in winter you can serve it warm.

Recipe Card For the Traditional Method:

Traditional Gajar ka Halwa Recipe

Gajerla is carrot pudding, a North Indian winter delicacy! Delicious and filling enjoy your dessert!

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North Indian

Keyword: Carrot Dishes, gajar ka halwa, Gajerla, Halwa

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 325kcal

Author: ArchanaPotdar

Equipment

• Kadhai/wok
• Peeler
• Grater
• Spoons and Ladles

Ingredients

• 4 cups carrots grated
• 4 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar adjust as per taste
• Handful of cashew pieces/raisins
• 4 tablespoon clarified butter
• 4-5 cardamom

Instructions

• To get 4 cups of carrots you will need about 600 grms of carrots. Peel and and grate the carrots.
• Depending on how you plan to make the Gajerla

Traditional Method by boiling the carrots:

• Add to a thick bottomed pan the grated carrots and milk. Cook on low flame stirring occasionally initially. But later stir and check especially as the milk starts evaporating.
• Cook until the milk evaporates then add 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoon clarified butter. Stir the sugar melts and becomes watery. Cook till the mixture becomes nice and dry. Stir often so that the halwa does not stick to the bottom.
• Since I prefer my nuts to be crunchy I fry them in a small pan with 1 tablespoon of ghee. Then add the whole mixture finally once the halwa is done, but you can add the sugar, nuts together. Add the green cardamom powder and stir.
• Serve as you wish hot, warm or chilled!

Traditional Method sauteing the carrots:

• Add 1 tablespoon of clarified butter and fry all your nuts till nice golden brown. Set aside.
• Add the rest of the clarified butter, 3 tablespoon and add the 4 cups of carrots. One tip (keep the flame low as the ghee has a lower smoking point).
• Once you add carrots stir fry the carrots. the carrots should be tender and you get a great aroma.
• Now add the 4 cups milk and mix well. Cook till the milk evaporates.
• Add sugar and stir the 1 cup sugar melts and becomes watery. Stir in the green cardamom powder.
• Cook till the mixture becomes nice and dry. Stir often so that the halwa does not stick to the bottom.
• Add the nuts and serve hot, warm or chilled!

Notes

How to make Carrot Pudding with condensed milk:

• Making gajar halwa with condensed milk also called milkmaid or
  • when using the orange carrots I change my method of making my halwa.
• Heat some ½ tablespoon of ghee and add all you nuts and raisins(if using) till nice golden, the raisins swell up. Drain and set aside.
• For about 4 cups of grated carrots, I add 2- ½ tablespoon of ghee or clarified butter and sauté the carrots in a thick pan/wok. The carrots should be cooked tender and this takes about 15-20 minutes. Keep the flame low we are making gajar halwa and not burnt gajar halwa.
• Once the carrots are tender add the milkmaid about ¾ (300 grams) of the tin. Mix well.
• Cook till the mixture thickens stirring often. Towards the end as the halwa is almost done stir a bit more frequently.
• Add nuts, raisins and the cardamom powder stir and mix well.
• Serve warm or chilled.  

Tried this recipe?Mention @themadscientistskitchen or tag #themadscientistkitchen!

Nutritional Disclaimer: I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Please check with your nutritionist for your dietary needs and restrictions. Ultimately you are responsible for your decisions.

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