The DailyWhisk

Gajar Ka Halwa

Warm gajar ka halwa in a ceramic bowl — glossy orange carrot pudding topped with sliced almonds, pistachios and cardamom
Gajar Ka Halwa — photographed fresh from our test kitchen.
  • Prep time15 mins
  • Cook time50 mins
  • Servings6
  • DifficultyEasy
  • CategoryDesi

Gajar ka halwa is the dessert winter was invented for: juicy carrots grated fine, simmered down in ghee and full-fat milk until creamy and caramel-sweet, then fragranced with cardamom and loaded with almonds and pistachios. It asks for patience rather than skill — the slow reduction is where all the flavor comes from. Serve it warm, on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and winter feels worth it.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg red carrots (about 6 to 7 large), washed, peeled and finely grated
  • 3 tbsp desi ghee (clarified butter), divided
  • 3 cups (720 ml) full-fat milk
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom (elaichi) powder
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) chopped pistachios
  • 2 tbsp raisins (optional)

Method

  1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a heavy-bottomed kadhai or wide pan over medium heat. Add the grated carrots and sauté, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes until the raw smell fades and the shreds turn a deeper orange.
  2. Pour in the milk and bring it to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring every few minutes so nothing sticks, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the milk is almost completely absorbed and the carrots are soft.
  3. Stir in the sugar. The mixture will loosen as the sugar melts — keep cooking on medium-low heat, stirring regularly, for another 10 to 12 minutes until it thickens again and pulls away from the sides.
  4. Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee, the cardamom powder, almonds, pistachios and raisins. Stir well and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes until a glossy sheen of ghee coats the halwa.
  5. Remove from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with extra nuts.

Tips for success

  • Use sweet red carrots if you can find them — paler carrots need more sugar and taste less rich.
  • Keep the heat low through the milk reduction stage; rushing it scorches the bottom and leaves the carrots undercooked.
  • The halwa thickens as it cools, so stop cooking while it still looks slightly loose.

Watch video tutorial

Prefer to watch it being made? This from Hebbar's Kitchen walkthrough covers the same gajar ka halwa step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.

Watch on YouTube