Gajar Ka Halwa/Gajrela or Carrot Halwa (a sweet, creamy, rich pudding from Punjab, with the aromatic taste of cardamon) is a dessert that is a popular dish served at festivals. It is a warm dessert and is best enjoyed in winter. It is an easy dish with few ingredients but not a quick one (unless you use a pressure cooker). Like most halwas, it requires attention while cooking. Being a warm dish, it was a perfect dessert for cold winter days. The carrots in this recipe are regular store-bought carrots rather than the sought-after deep orange carrots normally found in wintertime in Northern India.
Gajar ka Halwa
Ingredients
- 10 medium carrots
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 whole green cardamom
- ¼ tsp fresh ground green cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp golden raisins
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 12 blanched almonds (save half for garnish)
Instructions
- Scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush and peel them.
- Using a hand grater or food processor, grate the carrots.
- Transfer the grated carrots, milk, and whipping cream into a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil on medium heat. About 10 minutes.
- Add the whole cardamom and cardamom powder. Simmer on medium-low, occasionally stirring, until 75% of the milk is reduced. About 20 minutes.
- Add the sugar and golden raisins. Stir in half the nuts. Cook for another 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated, but the halwa is still moist.
- Carefully transfer the cooked dessert to a serving dish and garnish with the rest of the nuts. Serve hot or warm.
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