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  • Home
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Indian DessertsInstant Pot RecipesVideo Recipes

Gajar Halwa (Video Recipe)

written by Hina Gujral November 30, 2020
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Gajar Halwa or carrot halwa is a classic Indian dessert made with – grated carrots, khoya (evaporated milk), milk, and sugar. This carrot halwa recipe is a family heirloom that requires only 10 minutes in an instant pot or pressure cooker and cooked without ghee.

side shot of carrot halwa in a glass bowl with a golden spoon

About Gajar Halwa

Some dishes never lose their glory nor they are ever out of trend, one such classic dessert is carrot halwa.

The carrot is called ‘gajar’ in the Hindi language. Halwa in Indian cuisine usually refers to a soft-textured pudding-like sweet dish cooked in milk and fat, sweetened with sugar or jaggery.

Hence, carrot halwa is also known as gajar ka halwa.

The winter season in North India is incomplete without homemade gajar ka halwa or gajrela.

aerial shot of grated carrot for halwa

Carrots: The winter special juicy, long, deep-orange carrots are the soul of a deliciously perfect carrot halwa. These winter carrots have an altogether different taste and texture than the regular small carrots; with a hint of natural sweetness.

Texture: The texture of the gajar halwa is not completely smooth. It 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.

Carrot Halwa Garnished With Cream, Sliced Pistachio And Almonds

USP Of My Carrot Halwa Recipe

Gluten-Free

Only 5-Ingredients Recipe

No Condensed Milk or Cream

No Ghee (Clarified Butter) Required

10 Minutes Instant Pot Recipe

Ingredients Required…

Carrot – For making halwa start off with choosing the carrots that are tender and juicy. Avoid making this sweet dish when carrots are not in season. As the taste of seasonal carrots makes a lot of difference to the halwa.

Khoya/Mawa – Khova is a popular form of evaporated milk used in the Indian subcontinent. You can substitute it with unsweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, or heavy cream.

White Sugar – Feel free to use light brown sugar, jaggery, or if you are using sweetened condensed milk then skip adding white sugar.

Cardamom Powder – It gives a sweet aroma and taste to the halwa. If you do not have cardamom powder, crush 4 cardamoms using a rolling pin and use the same.

Milk – Adding milk to the recipe is optional. One should always use full-fat milk for this halwa recipe.

Watch Gajar Halwa Recipe Video

Step-By-Step Instant Pot Cooking Method

Instant Pot Carrot Halwa requires only 10 minutes this includes sauteing and cooking time.

Add grated carrot, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in the inner pot (images 1 & 2). Seal the lid. Set the PRESSURE COOK mode for 5 minutes.

Carrot Halwa Cooking In An Instant Pot
Step 1
Carrot Halwa Cooking In An Instant Pot
Step 2

Release the steam by moving the pressure valve to VENTING. Next, set the SAUTE mode for 5 minutes.

Add milk and saute the carrot halwa by continuously stirring to evaporate all the liquid (image 3 & 4).

Carrot Halwa Cooking In An Instant Pot
Step 3
Carrot Halwa Cooking In An Instant Pot
Step 4

Once halwa is completely dry, add the cardamom powder and crumbled khoya. Mix nicely. Carrot Halwa is ready to serve.

Carrot Halwa Cooking In An Instant Pot
Step 5
Gajar Halwa Garnished With Sliced Pistachio And Almonds

FAQ’s Related To Carrot Halwa

How many day can we store carrot halwa?

Carrot halwa can be stored for 15 – 20 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze it for 6 months. Freezing the halwa is not a good idea because it loses its texture and taste. Do not leave gajar halwa with dairy products at room temperature for more than 1 – 2 hours.

What type of carrot is perfect to make Halwa?

In India, authentic carrot halwa is made using the long, red carrots available only during the winter season (refer video). However, you can use the other variety of carrots available in the market to make a carrot halwa. But pick your carrots wisely, check if they are tender and less fibrous, this ensures your halwa tastes the best.

Why does carrot halwa turn black?

Frying the grated carrots in ghee for too long often changes the color of the carrots to black. Cook carrots with milk until soft. Or if you store grated carrots in a plastic bag for too long, halwa might turn black.

Is carrot halwa gluten-free?

Yes, gajar halwa is a gluten-free dessert with ingredients like carrots, milk, khoya, sugar, ghee, and nuts there is no addition of gluten.

Indian Carrot Halwa

More Indian Dessert Recipe For You

Aate (Wheat) Ka Halwa

Pineapple Halwa

Suji Halwa

Mawa Barfi

Besan Laddo

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Gajar Halwa Garnished With Sliced Pistachio And Almonds

Gajar Halwa Recipe (Carrot Halwa)

Gajar Halwa or carrot halwa is a gluten-free classic Indian dessert made with – grated carrots, khoya (evaporated milk), milk and sugar. This no ghee carrot halwa recipe is a family heirloom that requires only 10 minutes in an instant pot or pressure cooker.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 adults
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Hina Gujral
  • Pressure Cooker
  • Heavy Bottom Kadhai

Ingredients

  • 500 gram carrot
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Water, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 100 gram Khoya/Mawa
  • 2 tablespoon sliced dry fruits (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Wash, peel and grate the carrots. While grating carrot use the bigger holes of the grater than the smaller ones to have long strands.
  • In a stovetop pressure cooker add grated carrots, water and sprinkle sugar on top do not mix. Close the lid and cook the carrots for one whistle over low heat. After one whistle, turn off the heat. And release the steam manually from the pressure cooker.
  • Heat a heavy-duty pan. Transfer the carrots to the pan along with milk. Keep flame on low. Start roasting the carrots till all the moisture is evaporated/absorbed by the carrots and the halwa starts leaving the sides of the pan.
  • Add cardamom powder and crumbled khoya. Mix nicely. Keep on cooking the halwa on low flame stirring frequently for the next 5 – 10 minutes or till khoya is nicely combined with the carrots. Turn off the heat.
  • Garnish carrot halwa with sliced pistachio and almonds. If you prefer, fry sliced dry fruits in a tablespoon of ghee for garnishing the halwa.
  • Serve Gajar Ka Halwa warm.

Recipe Notes:

  • Make sure to use big holes of the grater to grate carrots for the halwa. 
  • Avoid keeping grated carrots in a plastic bag or openly for a longer duration. Halwa might turn black. 
  • One whistle over low heat is enough to cook carrots and release their juices. 
  • While frying the halwa make sure the gas flame is always between low – medium temperature range. 
  • Continuously, stir the halwa while frying else it might not get evenly cooked. 
  • Do not add khoya (mawa) until carrots are completely dry or start sticking to the base of the pan. 

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 21046IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 1mg
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Gajar Halwa (Video Recipe) was last modified: December 16th, 2020 by Hina Gujral
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12 comments
Hina Gujral

I am a passionate Indian food blogger living in India with my husband and our pug, named Momo.

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12 comments

Rafeeda AR January 16, 2014 - 9:08 AM

such sinful looking gajar halwa… drooling here…

Reply
Seeta January 16, 2014 - 8:56 AM

Isn’t it a crime to post such sinful pics???? Drool Drool!

Reply
Tara nair January 16, 2014 - 6:55 PM

Hina… I totally agree, I too have faced this issue of turning the halwa into kheer everytime. But the real happening moment is, I bought carrot today to make halwa for tomorrow and guess what, you posted exactly what I was looking for. Call it telepathy or anything else… it actually hit, bang on time. I am so very grateful to you and your blog. Thank you so very much Hina 🙂 Sweets on the card *

Reply
Prasanna Rao January 17, 2014 - 7:15 AM

I love Carrot Halwa and the pics are absolutely drool worthy!

Reply
FunFoodand Frolic January 17, 2014 - 11:55 AM

In the U.S., any grocery store will have “powdered milk” (dried milk) in cardboard boxes, but it’s usually non-fat milk rather than whole milk. You might have to look online for powdered milk made from whole milk if that’s what you really want, or there are many Indian and other ethnic groceries in California that may well carry mawa.

Mawa is a kind of evaporated whole milk….which has had a lot of the water removed to make it thick

Here’s a recipe for making mawa yourself though:
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Make-Kh…

Reply
wallflourgirl January 17, 2014 - 8:32 AM

I love sweet flavors in Indian dishes–I have never heard of this one before, but I’m so excited to make it! Any recommendations on accessing mawa? Funny, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it here (but I will need to look for it–or Google it or something at least 😉 ). Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Shruthi February 3, 2020 - 10:04 AM

Thanks for this easy recipe! I shall try it out soon

Reply
Hina Gujral February 3, 2020 - 10:22 AM

Great to hear! Please click a pic and share it with us.

Reply
Shiju Sugunan February 5, 2020 - 4:53 PM

Awesome video Hina!

Reply
Hina Gujral February 5, 2020 - 5:10 PM

Thank you Shiiju. Welcome to the blog after a long time! Hina

Reply

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Hello! I am Hina Gujral

Hello! I am Hina Gujral

I am a passionate food lover. Fun FOOD Frolic is all about tried and tested comforting meals from my kitchen.

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