Gajar Ka Halwa, also known as Gajrela, is a classic Indian dessert, cooked with grated carrots, nuts, milk, and clarified butter into a truly delightful treat. This simple recipe lets you easily enjoy this delicious Indian delicacy.
Jump to:
- Gajrela is love...
- East of West, Gajar ka Halwa is the best!
- Recipe Tips
- Recipe Card
- Indian Savory Vegetarian Recipes to Try from my blog
- Have you tried the simple gajar ka halwa recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Easy Indian dessert recipes
- Here's the Indian Carrot Halwa with an easy glaze recipe pin for your Pinterest board!
The grumpy man (read my husband) questioned why I was writing a recipe for Gajar Ka Halwa while we were on our way to the office. Our workplaces are not in the same area - his is halfway through the journey, while mine is 5 kilometers further. Mehebub drives the initial part of the trip, and I begin writing some of my blog posts during the commute.
Gajrela is love...
I wasn't thrilled with his question and retorted, "Are you talking about the Gajar Ka Halwa I made just the other day, or the batch before that? You've devoured nearly every batch of Gajar Halwa I've made this year! I could practically write down the recipe from memory alone. Besides, I don't need an excuse to start writing a recipe on my own recipe blog."
"Hey, who said your Gajar Ka Halwa wasn't good? You make incredible Gajar Ka Halwa, especially the one with Khoya. Honestly, your Gajrela is even better than what your mother or my mother make! But wife," he continued, "almost every blog already has a recipe for Gajar Ka Halwa. What unique angle will you bring?"
"Who said it needed to be special? My blog never has been about rare recipes or fusion recipes! It's always been about my simple life and the food we eat. And by the way, why don't you ever cook? Oh, so that was actually a compliment? I'm calling both Moms to let them know you said my Gajar Ka Halwa is better than theirs!"
"Debjani, please don't! I don't want to start World War III within the family!"
"I'm craving your Gajar Halwa again, the one with tons of khowa, ghee, and nuts!" he said, handing me the car keys so I could head to the office.
East of West, Gajar ka Halwa is the best!
I won't keep you with more family stories but let me share my recipe for Gajar Ka Halwa. I learned the basics from my mother, but I perfected it with tips from the lovely aunties in Gurgaon, where we used to live. I think that's why Mehebub prefers my version to his mother's or even my own! I make it in the traditional North Indian style, while their versions just don't seem quite right to me. They might not be too happy to hear that, especially since one of them even boils the carrots!
Recipe Tips
My Gajar Ka Halwa is rich, thick, and loaded with khoya (mawa), nuts, raisins, and ghee. And of course, I always use grated carrots. I don't believe in taking any shortcuts when it comes to this dish.
Recipe Card
Gajar Ka Halwa | Gajar Halwa | Carrot Halwa
Ingredients
- 1 kg Carrot I use smaller one
- 500 g Khowa / Mawa / Solidified Milk
- 150 ml Full Cream Milk
- 100 g Dry fruits Cashew Nut, Almond, Pistachios, and Raisin
- 200 g Sugar
- ½ Tsp. Green Cardamom Powder
- 100 g Ghee/ Clarified Butter
Instructions
- Wash the Carrots and peel the skin.
- Grate the carrots using a grater or a food processor.
- Now take the grated Carrot in a deep bottom pan along with the milk and start cooking on low flame with a lid on.
- The Carrot will release moisture after 2-3 minutes of cooking.
- Cook by covering the pan with a lid till the Carrot absorb the milk entirely.
- Add grated Mawa along with the Dry fruits and mix thoroughly.
- Add powdered Green Cardamom as well.
- Cook on low flame for 5 minutes and stir in between.
- Once the moisture is soaked add Sugar and give a thorough mix.
- Add Ghee and cook until the Sugar dissolves completely.
- Switch the flame off once the Gajar Ka Halwa emits a nice smell and is thick in texture.
- Serve Gajar Halwa hot.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amounts of ghee, mawa, and dry fruits to your liking, especially if you're watching your calories.
- You can also substitute condensed milk for mawa; just remember to cut the sugar in half.
- If you're short on time, you can even make the halwa in a pressure cooker!
Nutrition
Indian Savory Vegetarian Recipes to Try from my blog
- Phulkopir Rosha | Bengali Gobi Rassa
- Bandhakopir Torkari | Badhakopir Ghonto | Bengali Cabbage Sabzi
- Bengali Paneer Kosha Recipe
- Chal Potol | Pointed Gourd cooked with Aromatic Gobindobhog Rice
- Sada Aloor Dum | White Dum Aloo Bengali style
- Posto Diye Laushak Bhate | Bengali Bottle Gourd leaves Mash with Poppyseed Paste
- Titar Dal | Ucche Diye Moong Dal Recipe with Video
- Bengali Veg Daal | Picnic Special Vegetable Daal | Shobji Diye Moong Dal | Yellow Split Pea cooked with Veggies
Have you tried the simple gajar ka halwa recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience and feel free to send a photo to dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
Easy Indian dessert recipes
- Narkel Chapa | Narkel Tokti (also known as Bengali Coconut Sondesh)
- Sheer Khurma
- Bengali Mishti Doi (also known as Laal Doi)
- Halwai Style Balushahi (also known as Badusha)!
- Kamala Bhog (also known as Kamalabhog)
- Motichur Ladoo | Motichur Laddu | Motichoor Laddu
- Khejur Gurer Rosogolla (also known as gur-er rasgulla)
- Komola Kheer (also known as Kheer Komola | Bengali Orange Kheer | Komlalebur Payesh)
- Baked Soan Papdi and Mishti Doi Cheesecake topped with Mini Gulab Jamun
- Nolen Gurer Sandesh (also known as Bengali Khejur gur-er sondesh)
- Kesar Peda (also known as kesaria peda)
- Doodh Sooji aka Mohanbhog aka Suji
- Chaler Payesh aka Bengali Rice Kheer
- Gokul Pithe (also known as Bengali Madan Gokul Pitha)
- Dudh Puli (also known as Bengali dudh pitha)
- Lyangcha from Shaktigarh to Debjani’s Kitchen | Langcha, Bengali Sweet
Here's the Indian Carrot Halwa with an easy glaze recipe pin for your Pinterest board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
Leave a Reply