Gajar ko Haluwa is a really famous and delicious sweet delicacy from Nepal and India, made with grated carrots, milk, sugar, and ghee. This sweet dish is essentially rich, sweet, and full-bodied, so it's perfect to be served during special occasions or even as comfort food. Here is a recipe for preparing Gajar ko Haluwa at home:
Ingredients:
- Carrots: 500g (grated)
- Milk: 2 cups (full-fat works best)
- Sugar: ½ to ¾ cup (adjustable to taste)
- Ghee (Clarified Butter): 2 tablespoons
- Cardamom Powder: ½ teaspoon
- Cashews: 10-12 pieces (chopped)
- Raisins: 10-12
- Almonds: 10-12 (sliced)
- Saffron strands: a pinch, optional
- Khoya - Mawa: 1/2 cup, optional for richer taste
Instructions:
Prepare the Carrots:
- Wash and peel the carrots. Grate them finely with a grater or food processor.
Cook the Carrots:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai over medium heat.
- Add the grated carrots and sauté the carrots for about 5-7 minutes, till they are soft and raw smell goes away.
Add Milk and Cook:
- Pour in the milk over the pan with the sautéed carrots.
- Let it come to a boil and then simmer on low flame. Let the carrots cook in the milk till it reduces and thickens. It would, once in a while stir up at the bottom of the pan.
- This will take about 20-30 minutes or so.
Add Sugar and Cardamom:
- Now, add sugar and mix well once the milk has reduced and the mixture thickened. Run it on low heat, stirring sometimes, until all of the sugar is melted and the mixture has thickened further. Stir in the cardamom powder. Enhance the Flavor: In a small pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee. Add chopped cashew nuts, raisins, and almonds. Let them fry for a little until golden, then add them over the halwa.
- Now, if using khoya, crumble it and add it to the halwa and mix well.
- Also, you can soak the saffron strands in one tablespoon of warm milk and add it to the halwa for extra flavor and color.
Cook Until Done:
- Keep cooking the halwa, stirring constantly, until the ghee starts separating from the sides of the pan and the mixture reaches your desired consistency.
Serve:
- Serve the Gajar ko Haluwa warm, topped with additional nuts and raisins if desired. It tastes great on its own or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to get decadent.
Tips:
- The quality of carrots will decide the taste of this dessert, so make sure they are fresh, sweet and tender.
- The amount of sugar can be adjusted according to your taste and the sweetness of the carrots.
- For a more rich halwa, you can always add more ghee and khoya.
- Gajar ko Haluwa can be refrigerated for some days and heated before serving.
Enjoy your delicious home-made Gajar ko Haluwa!