Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)
North India's winter dessert: grated carrots slow-cooked in milk until thick and fudgy, then sweetened and finished with ghee, cardamom and toasted nuts. Warm, rich and fragrant.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Simmer in milk
Put the carrots and milk in a heavy, wide pan and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium heat, stirring often, for 40–45 minutes until the milk has almost completely evaporated.
Add sugar
Stir in the sugar — the mixture will loosen again. Keep cooking and stirring for 10 minutes until thick.
Fry in ghee
Add the ghee and cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes until the halwa turns glossy and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
Finish
Fry the cashews, almonds and raisins in a little ghee until golden, then stir them in with the cardamom. Serve warm, garnished with pistachios.
Simmer in milk
Put the carrots and milk in a heavy, wide pan and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium heat, stirring often, for 40–45 minutes until the milk has almost completely evaporated.
Add sugar
Stir in the sugar — the mixture will loosen again. Keep cooking and stirring for 10 minutes until thick.
Fry in ghee
Add the ghee and cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes until the halwa turns glossy and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
Finish
Fry the cashews, almonds and raisins in a little ghee until golden, then stir them in with the cardamom. Serve warm, garnished with pistachios.
The Story Behind the Dish
Halwa — a sweet made by cooking grains, vegetables or lentils with sugar and fat — reached India from the Middle East and Persia. Carrots, which grow abundantly in Punjab's winter, became the base of its most famous Indian version.
Gajar halwa is the signature dessert of North Indian winters and of Diwali celebrations.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Warm, sweet and fragrant with cardamom and ghee, gajar halwa is the taste of an Indian winter.
💡 Fun Fact
Traditional gajar halwa uses the deep red 'Delhi carrots' that appear in North Indian markets only in winter.
Punjab, North India
30.90°N, 75.86°E
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