About Gajar Halwa
Carrot is called ‘gajar‘ in the Hindi language. Halwa in Indian cuisine refers to soft-textured pudding. Hence, carrot halwa is known as Gajar Ka Halwa or Gajar Halwa. Some dishes never lose their glory, nor are they ever out of trend; one such classic dessert is carrot halwa. The winter season in Northern India is incomplete without homemade gajar ka halwa or gajrela. Reason – Winter Special Red Carrots The juicy, long, deep-red carrots are the soul of a deliciously perfect carrot halwa. These winter carrots have a different taste and texture than the regular small carrots, with a hint of natural sweetness. The texture of the gajar halwa is a bit coarse. The carrots are grated manually (use the bigger holes of the grater) for the halwa to get that perfect texture, and not done in a food processor. USP Of My Carrot Halwa Recipe
Gluten-Free Only 5-Ingredients RecipeInstant Pot Friendly RecipeNo Condensed Milk or CreamNo Ghee (Clarified Butter) Required
Ingredients Required
Carrot – For making halwa, start with choosing tender and juicy carrots. Avoid making this sweet dish when carrots are not in season, like frozen carrots. The taste of seasonal carrots makes a lot of difference to the halwa.
Substitute: You can use orange carrots.
Khoya/Mawa – Khova is a popular form of evaporated milk in the Indian subcontinent.
Substitute: You can substitute khoya with unsweetened condensed milk, mithai mate, evaporated milk, or heavy cream.
White Sugar – Granulated, plain white sugar
Substitute: Feel free to use light brown sugar or jaggery, or if you are using sweetened condensed milk, skip adding sugar.
Green Cardamom Powder – It gives the halwa a sweet aroma and taste.
Substitute: If you do not have cardamom powder, crush green cardamoms using a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin and use the same.
Milk – Adding milk to the recipe is optional. One should always use full-fat milk or whole milk for this halwa recipe.
Substitute: You can use almond milk.
Red Carrot vs Orange Carrot
In the Indian subcontinent, during the winter season, from October – February, deep red, long carrots are available. These winter carrots have a sweet taste. Hence, they are perfect for making Indian desserts, including gajar halwa. On the other hand, the orange carrot is available throughout the year. But it has a bland taste. Hence it is good for making soups, vegetable curries, or side dishes where its flavour is masked by spices/seasoning. For Indian desserts like halwa or kheer, the long, juicy, tender red carrots are perfect.
Watch Gajar Halwa Video
Instant Pot Cooking Method
Carrot Halwa requires only 10 minutes in an instant pot; this includes sauteing and cooking time. Step 1) Add grated carrot, sugar, and ¼ cup water to the inner pot (images 1 & 2). Seal the lid. Set the PRESSURE COOK mode for 5 minutes. Release the steam by moving the pressure valve to the VENTING position. Next, set the SAUTE mode for 5 minutes. Step 2) Add milk and saute the carrot halwa by continuously stirring to evaporate all the liquid (images 3 & 4). Step 3) Once halwa is completely dry, add the cardamom powder and crumbled khoya. Mix nicely. Carrot Halwa is ready to serve.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
Aate (Wheat) Ka Halwa Moong Dal Halwa Pineapple Halwa Besan Laddo Mawa Barfi Suji Halwa Jalebi Subscribe to our weekly newsletter or follow us on Youtube for video recipes.
