Gajar ka halwa

Name: Gajar ka halwa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 1 kg carrots (preferably red Desi carrots if available; otherwise the sweetest orange carrots), peeled and finely grated; 1 litre full-fat whole milk; 120 g caster sugar (adjust to taste, Desi carrots need less sugar than orange varieties); 4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter); 6 green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and ground to a powder; 50 g cashew nuts, halved; 30 g raisins or golden sultanas; 20 g pistachios, roughly chopped, to garnish; 2 tbsp khoya (reduced milk solids, optional but traditional) or an extra knob of butter

Indian carrot pudding: slow-cooked in whole milk with ghee, cardamom, and nuts

Origin: India (Punjab, Delhi, northern India)

From the journey of Carrot.

Gajar ka halwa (गाजर का हलवा, 'carrot halwa') is one of the most deeply loved desserts in the Indian subcontinent, a slow-cooked confection of freshly grated carrots simmered in full-fat whole milk until the liquid is entirely absorbed, enriched with ghee, sugar, and green cardamom, and finished with fried cashews and raisins. It is a winter dish: the Desi carrot (the long, bright red-orange variety with an exceptional sweetness and moisture content, grown in Punjab and across northern India) reaches peak season from November through February, and gajar ka halwa appears at this time at every wedding, festival, and family celebration. It is the dessert of Diwali, of Eid, of Sunday family lunches throughout North India. The name 'halwa' connects it to the vast family of sweet preparations that stretches from Arabia (halwa) to Greece (chalva) to Turkey (helva), and reflects the Mughal and Persian influences on North Indian court cuisine that helped refine these carrot preparations from simple preparations into the magnificent desserts associated with Lucknow, Delhi, and Lahore. The technique is meditative: it demands nothing but time, gentle heat, and gradual reduction.

Ingredients

Carrot

1 kg carrots (preferably red Desi carrots if available; otherwise the sweetest orange carrots), peeled and finely grated

Dairy

1 litre full-fat whole milk

Sugar

120 g caster sugar (adjust to taste, Desi carrots need less sugar than orange varieties)

Fat

4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Spice

6 green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and ground to a powder

Nuts

50 g cashew nuts, halved
30 g raisins or golden sultanas

Garnish

20 g pistachios, roughly chopped, to garnish

Optional

2 tbsp khoya (reduced milk solids, optional but traditional) or an extra knob of butter

Method

Place the grated carrots and milk in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent the milk from scorching. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every few minutes, for 30–40 minutes until almost all the milk has been absorbed and the mixture is thick and fragrant.
Add the sugar and stir well. The mixture will loosen slightly as the sugar melts. Continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sugar has been fully absorbed and the halwa is thick again.
In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee and fry the cashews until golden (2 minutes), then add the raisins and cook for 30 seconds more until they plump. Remove and set aside.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of ghee and the ground cardamom to the halwa. Stir vigorously over medium heat for 5–8 minutes until the ghee is fully incorporated and the halwa begins to pull away from the sides of the pot and forms a single mass.
Fold in the fried cashews and raisins (reserve a few for garnish). Taste and adjust sugar or cardamom. Serve warm, garnished with pistachios and the reserved cashews and raisins.

Notes

Gajar ka halwa is best served warm, fresh from the pan. It reheats very well in a pan with a small splash of milk or a knob of butter, stirring over low heat. The Desi red carrot (available in Indian grocery stores in winter) produces a dramatically superior halwa: darker, denser, and sweeter than the orange variety. Khoya (dried milk solids, available at Indian grocery stores) adds a rich, fudge-like quality to the halwa; if unavailable, extra ghee and a splash of double cream at the end produces a similar effect.

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Ingredient originTrade or transit route

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