Gajar ka halwa recipe – Carrot halwa recipe in pressure cooker – Instant carrot halwa recipe – winter recipes

Gajar ka halwa is also called as carrot halwa, gajrela or gajar pak.  It is a carrot based sweet dessert  made by carrots, sugar, ghee, cardamom powder and nuts.  It is a very popular  dessert in North India especially during winters, when fresh juicy red carrots are available in plenty in the market.    You can enjoy the goodness of carrots in the form of halwa or barfi.   It is traditionally had during festive occasions like Diwali, Holi and Raksha bandhan. Gajar ka halwa is best served warm, during winter, but also tastes divine when served cold.

Here I have prepared using a pressure cooker which is a quick version of making this halwa. This is also the easiest way to make the halwa, as it does not require stirring continuously for a longer period of time, as is done in the traditional method.  In this recipe I have used milk powder instead of mawa and it tastes delicious.  You can try adding condensed milk also instead of milk powder or khoya.  You can also make this carrot halwa in an open pan.  In that case, use a  non-stick pan, so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.  Cook them on a low flame by stirring continuously, till you get a nice thick consistency of carrot halwa.  Carrot halwa is best served warm or hot with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Prep Time : 25 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Servings : 8 persons

North Indian cuisine

INGREDIENTS

Carrots – 1 kg (medium sized) (tender ones)

Milk – 1 cup

Sugar – 3/4 cup

Ghee – 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of ghee

Milk powder – 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

Chopped almonds, cashewnuts and pistachios – 1/4 cup

HOW TO MAKE OR PREPARE GAJAR KA HALWA IN PRESSURE COOKER

Wash and peel the skin of the carrots thoroughly.  Grate the carrots and keep it aside.  Heat a pressure cooker on low flame .  Add 2 tablespoons of ghee to it.

Add grated carrots and saute for 3-4  minutes on low flame.  This step ensures to remove the raw smell of the carrots.

Add 1 cup of milk and 3/4 cup of sugar and mix it well.  Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium flame

Once the pressure cools down, open the lid and give a good mix.

There will be still moisture in the halwa.  Cook on a low to medium flame for 15 minutes till the halwa thickens.

Once the halwa starts thickening, add 1/2 cup of ghee.  Mix well.  (Do not skip on ghee, as ghee gives a wonderful flavor to the halwa)

Keep cooking on medium flame, till the mixture thickens and the moisture is fully absorbed.

Add 1/2 cup of milk powder.  Give a good mix.  Cook for 2 minutes on low flame.  Once the mixture is fully thickened, switch off the flame.

Add cardamom powder and chopped nuts and raisins.  Mix well.

Serve yummy gajar ka halwa hot or warm.

Enjoy warm carrot or gajar ka halwa as it is or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

NOTES/TIPS

Adjust the sugar content according to the sweet taste desired by you.

You can add khoya/mawa instead of milk powder for making carrot halwa.

Use sweet and juicy carrots for best carrot halwa.

Cook the carrots till all the moisture is fully absorbed, for best results.

It stays good for upto a week when stored in the refrigerator.  At the time of serving, just warm the halwa and serve.

You can use full cream milk for enhanced taste.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *