Gajar Ka Halva - Carrot Halva
Happy Diwali to all the Indian readers - in India or abroad! Diwali is on the 13th of November this year and it’s a fantastic almost auspicious occasion to make desserts. Gajar ka halwa or Carrot Halva is a classic Indian recipe.
Halwa or Halva can more or less be described as a pudding - however the meaning of the word halva is “sweet”. For this recipe you grate the carrot and cook it with milk and spices till it becomes soft…when its ready, it almost melts in your mouth. Its a relatively healthy recipe - all you add is sugar and whole milk which can be substituted with reduced fat if you really want it. Also, I used the regular granulated (white) sugar in the recipe but you can try experimenting with brown sugar or substitute some of the sugar with honey or agave nectar. You could serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some vanilla cream sauce.
Diwali - the festival of lights marks many things in the Indian culture. The most common significance of Diwali is the victory of good over evil. This festival falls between mid-October to mid-November every year - it is always on the no moon day and traditionally people use lamps to light up their homes. Diwali is the beginning of new year as per the Hindu calender and unofficially marks the start of winters in India.
May this Diwali bring a lot of love and success in your lives!
Serving for 4
Cooking time 1 hour
Things you will need:
4 cups carrots, peeled and grated
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 pods cardamom
1/2 cup mixed nuts - cashews, hazelnuts, almonds - slivered and slightly toasted
handful of raisins, optional
1 tbsp clarified butter or ghee, optional
- In a deep saucepan over medium low heat bring milk to a simmer.
- Add carrots and cardamom to the milk, cover and cook on low for about 1 hour or till the carrot becomes soft.
- Add sugar and stir till mixed well. Keep cooking on low.
- Taste the halwa to adjust the sweetness. Turn the heat off and mix in the nuts and raisins.
- Mix in the clarified butter, serve warm.
yuummmm, this looks delicious.
we make something similar to this but with yams/sweet potatoes. Or with the sweet squashes like butternut or kabocha (japanese name but grown in Mexico)
and I make mine with coconut milk, cinnamon and maple syrup. I am especially intrigued with the cardamon in your recipe and must try it. And for nuts its either walnuts or pecans. Pecan trees abound in my state.
Your blog is comprehensive- and fascinating with culture. Thank u for sharing it with us. :)
I love the word halva. Is it pronounced just like its spelled — Hahl-Vah?
Thanks Tonia, yes that’s exactly how its pronounced. In India we make halva with many things like semolina, ground lentil, carrot, bottle gourd, whole wheat flour to name a few. The process is more or less the same…you cook the main ingredient in some kind of a liquid - like milk or simple syrup till it becomes tender and starts to stick together.
It just fascinates me so much to learn how different cultures have such similar cooking styles or dishes.
I dont think we have a good name for a dish like this.
This sounds yummy and I love that it’s not too unhealthy - might experiment w low fat milk and brown sugar/agave!
Yum! Looks and sounds delicious!
Pingback: Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa) « ãhãram
This was divine! I made a vegan version of the recipe. I subbed a Dream Blend milk for the whole milk (almond/chia/coconut) and did not add the ghee. It smelled like glazed donuts in my kitchen! Also, I forgot to roast and chop the cashews, so i just threw them in whole. Still yummy. It was better than the halva I had at an Indian restaurant. Thanks for posting.
Really enjoyed learning about Diwali, as I’d never heard of it before coming to your blog. And the halva sounds delicious! It’s also something I’d not heard of before, and reminds me a bit of rice pudding but with carrots instead of rice. I can’t wait to try it.
Wow, this is looking so great. I really have to try it soon.
Greetings, Becky