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.