Warm up your winter with this Gajrela. This Gajar Ka Halwa is a classic Indian carrot pudding that is perfect for a sweet treat! Made with just 4 basic ingredients- milk, red carrots, ghee, and sugar, this is going to be your favorite recipe!
Growing up in a Punjabi family, my mother always made a very heavy version of Gajar ka Halwa loaded with khoya and many nuts. To be honest, I never really enjoyed it that way.
Everything changed after I got married and tried my mother-in-law’s version. It was the best sweet I had ever tasted! Her secret was keeping it simple—no khoya or dry fruits, just fresh carrots slow-cooked in full-fat milk until they are perfectly soft.
Ghee, sugar, and cardamom powder were added and cooked until the liquid from the sugar was gone. This North Indian winter classic is now my favorite way to enjoy Gajrela!
Making halwa with 1.5 kg carrots can take about 3 hours to cook, but it is a very rewarding process. While there are faster ways to cook carrots, I believe slow roasting them in milk gives the best flavor.
If you are short on time, you can make a quicker version by using milk powder or condensed milk, or simply pressure cook and then cook in milk. This shortcut can cut your cooking time down from 3 hours to under 45 minutes!
If you enjoy this Gajrela, you might also love my Indian sweets- Wheat Halwa, Suji Halwa, Besan Halwa, and Pumpkin Halwa, or these quick Coconut Burfi squares.
Want to use leftover carrots? Find my easy carrot recipes- Carrot Ginger Juice, Air Fryer Carrot Fries, and Carrot Pumpkin Soup.
Looking for main dishes to team this halwa with- Find my best lunch ideas Indian.
Jump to:
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements of the ingredients.
- Red Carrots: Peeled, washed, and grated)
- Full-Fat Milk
- Ghee
- Sugar
- Cardamom Powder: Freshly ground
- Pls note nuts are only for image and garnishing and have not been used by me.
How To Make Carrot Halwa (Traditional Method) (Step By Step)
Step 1. Peel, wash, and grate carrots
Start by washing and peeling 1.5 kg (9 pieces) of fresh red carrots. Grate them using a medium-sized grater. This gives the Gajar Ka Halwa a nice texture. If you want to save time or don't like grating carrots (which is indeed a hard part of this recipe), simply pressure cook for 2-3 whistles on full and then mash them.
Step 2. Cook Grated Carrots With Milk
Place the grated carrots in a large, heavy-bottomed wok or kadhai. Turn the heat to medium and sauté them for about 5 to 10 minutes. You will see the carrots will turn light orange from red.
Pour in 1 liter of full-fat milk (4-5 cups would be fine). Stir well and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let the carrots cook in the milk. You will need to stir it continuously so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
This step takes about 1 hr. Depends on quantity of carrots.
Step 3. Reduce Milk
Continue cooking the carrots in milk on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally. You want the carrots to become very tender and for the milk to be absorbed until only about 10% remains.
Step 4. Add Sugar and ghee
Once the milk is mostly absorbed by carrots, add 8 to 9 kadchi (ladles) of sugar. At this stage, also add 4 to 5 tablespoons of ghee. The sugar will melt and release some water, which is perfectly normal.
Add 2 teaspoons of freshly ground cardamom powder. Keep stirring and cooking on medium heat until all the water from the sugar has evaporated. The halwa should start to come together into one thick, shiny lump and pull away from the sides of the wok.
Step 6. Serve It
The delicious Gajar ka Halwa is ready. Serve it warm.
Expert Tips
- We make Carrot halwa in winter as we get fresh, red, juicy, and naturally sweet carrots at this time of year. so, I haven't tried it with orange carrots.
- Make sure to add sugar at the last when carrots are cooked completely in milk.
- You have to keep sauteing the carrots, and it is a long process.
- Grating and cooking carrots in milk is going to take a lot of effort and is not for beginners.
- If you feel halwa is very sweet, add milk and cook again till milk is absorbed.
- Store halwa in the refrigerator for about a week and enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
The secret is to cook grated carrots in milk over the slow flame.
Make sure to boil milk in advance and then add it to the sauteed carrots.
Use the large holes on a hand grater for thick shreds.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a comment below and let me know what sides you served it with! If you loved it, feel free to share this post with your friends who love simple Indian cooking.
Don't forget to subscribe to my Weekly Newsletter for a free Recipe!
Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa Recipe)
Equipment
- heavy bottomed wok
- grater
- large platter
Ingredients
- 9-10 large Red Carrots: Peeled washed and grated. 8 cups grated carrot 1.5kg
- 4-5 cups Full-Fat Milk
- 4 tablespoon Ghee
- 10 tablespoon Sugar 175 gm sugar
- 2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder Freshly ground
Instructions
- Start by washing and peeling 1.5 kg (9-10 pieces) of fresh red carrots. Grate them using a medium-sized grater. This gives the Gajar Ka Halwa a nice texture. If you want to save time or don't like grating carrots (which is indeed a hard part of this recipe), simply pressure cook for 2-3 whistles on full and then mash them.
- Place the grated carrots in a large, heavy-bottomed wok or kadhai. Turn the heat to medium and sauté them for about 5 to 10 minutes. You will see the carrots will turn light orange from red.
- Pour in 1 liters of full-fat milk (4-5 cups would be fine). Stir well and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let the carrots cook in the milk. You will need to stir it continuously so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
- This step takes about 1 hr. Depends on quantity of carrots.
- Continue cooking the carrots in milk on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally. You want the carrots to become very tender and for the milk to be absorbed until only about 10% remains.
- Once the milk is mostly absorbed by carrots, add 8 to 9 kadchi (ladles) of sugar. At this stage, also add 4 to 5 tablespoons of ghee. The sugar will melt and release some water, which is perfectly normal.
- Add 2 teaspoons of freshly ground cardamom powder. Keep stirring and cooking on medium heat until all the water from the sugar has evaporated. The halwa should start to come together into one thick, shiny lump and pull away from the sides of the wok.
- The delicious Gajar ka Halwa is ready. Serve it warm.
Notes
Make sure to add sugar at the last when carrots are cooked completely in milk.
You have to keep sauteing the carrots, and it is a long process.
Grating and cooking carrots in milk is going to take a lot of effort and is not for beginners.
If you feel halwa is very sweet, add milk and cook again till milk is absorbed.
Store halwa in the refrigerator for about a week and enjoy.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 bowl | |
| Servings: 10 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 176 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 6.7g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat 4.2g | 21% |
| Cholesterol 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium 45mg | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate 29.1g | 11% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.7g | 6% |
| Total Sugars 23.2g | |
| Protein 1.6g | |
| Vitamin D 15mcg | 75% |
| Calcium 77mg | 6% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 210mg | 4% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Lanie says
This carrot halwa looks beautiful and u can’t wait to try the recipe. I need to find the red carrots because I think that will be the best as you suggest. Thank you Deepti for a great recipe and directions..
Deepti says
Aww, thanks so much, Lanie. Your words are so encouraging. Yes, red carrots are the best for the authentic flavor. Please share with me how it turned out for you.