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Gajar ka Halwa

A traditional, slow-cooked Gajar ka Halwa made with fresh red carrots, full cream milk, khoya, and dry fruits. No pressure cooker shortcuts, just patience and authentic taste. This recipe brings the magic of slow cooking to your kitchen, resulting in a rich, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 7 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

🥘 Ingredients
  • 1 kg Fresh Red Carrots grated
  • 0.5 Liter Full Cream Milk
  • 400 g Sugar adjust to taste
  • 250 g Khoya Mawa
  • 50 g Cashews
  • 50 g Makhana Foxnuts
  • Desi Ghee as needed for cooking, sauteing and tempering
  • 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
  • 2 Green Cardamom Pods
  • 1 Clove

Equipment

  • Heavy Bottom Pan

Method
 

👨‍🍳 Instructions
  1. Take a heavy bottom pan and add all the grated carrots to it.
  2. Add 0.5 liter of full cream milk and cook on low heat. Avoid using a pressure cooker for the best texture.
  3. Let the carrots and milk cook slowly on low flame, stirring occasionally, until all the milk is absorbed and the mixture becomes dry.
  4. Add Desi Ghee to the pan and mix well to bring out the aroma.
  5. Add 400g of sugar. Note that the halwa will release some water after adding sugar and its texture will loosen.
  6. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until the sugar water dries up.
  7. Add 1/2 tsp of cardamom powder (elaichi powder) for a beautiful fragrance.
  8. Take 250g of Khoya, crumble it by hand, and add most of it to the pan (save a little for garnish). Mash and mix well so no lumps remain.
  9. Add 50g of cashews and sauté for 2-3 minutes on low flame to allow the flavors to meld.
  10. Add another spoonful of Desi Ghee at this stage for a professional shine and extra flavor.
  11. For the premium touch, prepare a tempering: Heat a little Desi Ghee in a small ladle, add 2 cardamom pods and 1 clove. Pour this over the halwa and mix.
  12. In a separate pan, fry 50g of makhana in a little Desi Ghee for 2-3 minutes until they become crunchy.
  13. Plate the warm halwa, garnish with the saved khoya, cashews, and the crunchy fried makhana.

Notes

💡 Tips
Slow cooking is the secret to authentic Gajar ka Halwa; don't give in to 'fast' shortcuts.
Always add sugar at the end as it prevents the carrots from softening further.
Manual grating of carrots gives a better texture than using a food processor.
Full cream milk is essential for that rich, creamy grainy texture.