Halwa (from the Arabic word hulw, meaning sweet) is ubiquitous in India and there are multiple variations of this oh-so-common dessert. It is something we whip up when guests show up unexpectedly, when school exam results land in your mailbox, when there is any ‘sweet’ news to share, when you have made a fresh jar of ghee…any reason works actually. The love of halwa extends through the entire continent of Asia, from the Indian sub-continent to the Middle East, Turkey into the Balkans, and Greece. Halwa can be made of flours, grains, seeds, nuts, dates, and some root vegetables, such as carrots, beets, yams; so basically we can turn almost anything into a halwa with a little bit of sugar.
There are several variations of carrot halwa in India based on the quantity of milk added, using milk powder, condensed milk or khoya. Some folks make it more dry and cook it till all the milk evaporates, while some make it more creamy. Using condensed milk decreases the cooking time and you most likely will not need to add any additional sugar either.
Besides halwa, Aai makes gajar ki kheer (carrot kheer) as well in winters when carrots are rich and bursting with flavor and color. ‘Gajri’ is an official color in Marathi, which means carrot colored. It is a sought after shade in silk and connoisseurs can spend days looking for the perfect gajri colored saree!
Step by Step
- Peel and rinse 500 g of fresh carrots (about 12-13 medium sized).
- Grate them all (either by hand or using an electric grater).
- Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of ghee or butter to it.
- Add the grated carrots and on medium heat, sauté them for a 4-5 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning.
- Add 2 cups of milk and allow the carrots to cook in it. (Use 1.5 cups if you prefer a less milky halwa).
- Allow the carrots to gently simmer in the milk till the milk has almost completely evaporated. This process takes some time and be sure to stir the halwa occasionally.
- In the last 5 minutes, add 2 tbsp of your choice of nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios) and 2 tbsp raisins.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp cardamom powder.
- When all the milk has been cooked, turn off the heat.
- Add 50 g (1/4 cup) sugar and stir a few times. The sugar will dissolve because the halwa is pretty hot.
- Allow the halwa to stand covered for 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or refrigerate before serving as some folks love it cold (read my daughters).
Some Tips
I usually buy a bag of organic orange carrots and turn them into halwa. I prefer the orange carrots as they are sweeter than the red or yellow ones (in my opinion).
If the halwa needs to travel to another state (like where my children are), I make it more dry and ensure that the milk has been completely cooked. This halwa travels better and will last longer unrefrigerated. When I make it just for eating at home, I prefer to leave it a bit milky and soft.
Gajar or Carrot Halwa
Ingredients
- 500 g carrots
- 50 g sugar
- 1 tbsp ghee or butter
- 2 cups milk preferably whole or full fat
- 2 tbsp cashew nuts sliced almonds or chopped pistachios work well too
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
Instructions
- Peel and rinse 500 g of fresh carrots (about 12-13 medium sized).Grate them all (either by hand or using an electric grater).Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of ghee or butter to it.Add the grated carrots and on medium heat, sauté them for a few minutes. Stir often to avoid burning.
- Add 2 cups of milk and allow the carrots to cook in it. Allow the carrots to cook in the milk till the milk has almost completely evaporated. This process takes some time, be sure to stir occasionally.In the last 5 minutes, add 2 tbsp of your choice of nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios) and 2 tbsp raisins.Sprinkle 1 tsp cardamom powder.When all the milk has been cooked, turn off the heat.
- Add 50 g (1/4 cup) sugar and stir a few times. The sugar will dissolve because the halwa is pretty hot.Allow the halwa to stand covered for 10 minutes.Serve hot with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or refrigerate before serving cold.
