Carrot or Gajar ka halwa is one of the most popular Indian sweets. It is a rich and creamy dessert made with grated carrots, milk, sugar, ghee, and nuts. It has a smooth pudding-like texture and the flavor is just heaven. Many people in India prefer to make it using mawa or khoya(milk solids) and milk powder but I prefer to make it using whole milk as it tastes better and is much easier. The Gajar Halwa Recipe is specially made during festivals and celebrations or some special occasions which makes the festivals more special. It has a unique aromatic flavor that comes from the combination of sweet carrots, whole milk, and ghee. You can serve it hot or cold and it depends on your preference. In this simple and easy Gajar halwa recipe, I will show you 2 variants of making this delicious and perfect Indian dessert Carrot Halwa at home. The first variant will easy way to make Gajar ka halwa with khoya or mawa, and in the second one, you will see how to make carrot halwa without khoya or mawa.
Also check out our other delicious Indian sweet recipes such as Shahi Tukda, Kaju Katli, Rasmalai, Gulab Jamun, Gujiya, and Halwa Recipes like Suji Halwa, and Besan Ka Halwa.
Gajar Halwa Recipe with khoya/Mawa
First, In this halwa recipe, I’ll show you how to make instant carrot halwa without milk and with Mawa. Gajar ka Halwa with Khoya/Mawa is very easy and quick to make as we will make the Gajar ka halwa recipe without milk. Mawa makes the Halwa very delicious and also reduces the cooking time. I’ve shared the Homemade Mawa/khoya recipe that you can try to make this 1 kg Gajar ka halwa recipe with mawa or else you can buy it from the store. This is a very simple carrot Halwa recipe in which we use khoya/mawa to make a sweet and tasty Halwa. This halwa recipe is halwai style as they don’t use milk to prepare halwa and instead use a lot of mawa.
Gajar Halwa recipe with Khoya video
Gajar halwa recipe ingredients
- 1 kg grated carrot
- 8 tbsp desi ghee
- 1.25 cups of sugar
- 4-5 cardamom
- 400 gm grated mawa/khoya
- Chopped dry fruits for garnishing
How to make Gajar Halwa with Khoya Step-by-step
1. Take 1 kg carrot. Wash it properly. Peel the upper layer and grate them.
2. Heat a kadhai/pan. Pour 4-5 tbsp desi ghee
3. Now, add the grated carrot to the kadhai. Mix well with desi ghee.
4. Cover the lid and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. After 4 minutes, remove the lid and mix it well. Cook it again for 3-4 minutes on low flame.
5. After 3-4 minutes, mix it again and let it cook again for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add 1 cup and 4 tbsp sugar to the mixture. Mix it well.
7. Add 4-5 cardamom after crushing them. Mix them well. You can also use cardamom powder instead of whole cardamom.
8. Now, cover it and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. Remove the cover after 4 minutes. Mix it well and cover it to let it cook again for 3-4 minutes. Turn the flame to medium now.
9. Remove the cover and now we will cook it on medium on high flame without covering it so that it absorbs the sugar syrup before we add mawa.
10. Add 400 gm grated mawa/khoya to the mixture. Mix it well and cook on medium flame.
11. Stir and let it cook. Add 2 more tbsp desi ghee to the Gajar halwa mixture. After a few minutes, turn the flame off when the mixture gets dried.
12. Gajar ka halwa is ready. Garnish with chopped dry fruits.
Gajar Halwa Without Mawa – Carrot Halwa with Milk
In this second variant of making Gajar ka Halwa, I’ll show you how to make Carrot Halwa with Milk and Without Mawa. In this Gajar halwa recipe without khoya, you will see, how to make this delicious Carrot halwa with milk. This carrot Halwa preparation method takes slightly more time as we need to let milk absorb and this method of making the Halwa makes it sweet and delicious as this recipe of Gajar halwa with milk makes the Halwa very flavorful and tasty.
Gajar Halwa Recipe video – Carrot Halwa with Milk Recipe Video
Gajar ka Halwa with milk Ingredients
- 500 gm carrot
- 4 tbsp desi ghee
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 cardamom
- 500 ml milk
- chopped dry fruits: almonds, cashews, and raisins.
How to make Gajar ka Halwa with milk – Step by Step
- First, wash carrots and then peel and Grate them.
2. Take a kadai/wok and pour 4 tbsp desi ghee and then add all the grated carrots in it. Cover the lid and Cook at low heat for 5 minutes. Keep checking in between and stir until carrots become soft. Do this 3-4 times.
3. Add 1/2 cup sugar and mix well. Cover the lid and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes on low flame.
4. Remove the lid and you can see that the sugar has melted. Keep stirring on medium flame until carrots absorb sugar and become dry.
5. Add 4 whole cardamom or you can also use cardamom powder.
6. Add 500 ml full cream milk and cook on medium to high heat.
7. Keep stirring the mixture and scrap the sides to remove milk solids and add them back to the mixture. Remove the cardamom shells.
8. Continue to simmer and keep stirring the mixture until it thickens.
9. Add chopped dry fruits when the mixture has almost dried. You can also add desi ghee at this stage.
10. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes completely dry.
11. The sweet and delicious Gajar halwa is ready. Garnish with dry fruits and serve it hot.
Recipe Card
Gajar halwa Recipe | Carrot Halwa Recipe
Ingredients
Gajar ka Halwa with Milk Ingredients
- 500 gms carrot
- 4 tbsp desi ghee
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 cardamom
- 400 ml milk
- chopped dry fruits for garnishing
Gajar ka Halwa with Mawa Ingredients
- 1 kg grated carrot
- 8 tbsp desi ghee
- 1.25 cups sugar
- 4-5 cardamom
- 400 gm grated mawa/khoya
- Chopped dry fruits for garnishing
Instructions
For making Carrot Halwa/Gajar ka Halwa with Milk
- First wash carrots and then peel and Grate them.
- Take a kadhai and pour desi ghee and then add all the grated carrots in it. Cover the lid and Cook at low heat for 5 minutes. Keep stirring in between until carrots become soft.
- Add sugar and mix well. Cover the lid and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat.
- Remove lid and keep stirring unt on medium heat until carrots absorb sugar.
- Add whole cardamom or you can also use cardamom powder.
- Add full cream milk and cook on medium to high heat.
- Keep stirring the mixture and scrap the sides to remove milk solids and add them back to the mixture.
- Continue to simmer and keep stirring the mixture until it thickens.
- Add chopped dry fruits when the mixture has almost dried. You can also add desi ghee at this stage.
- Keep stirring until the mixture becomes completely dry.
- Garnish with dry fruits and serve it hot.
For making Carrot Halwa/Gajar ka Halwa with Mawa
- Take 1 kg carrot. Wash it properly. Peel the upper layer and grate them.
- Heat a kadhai/pan. Pour 4-5 tbsp desi ghee
- Now, add the grated carrot to the kadhai. Mix well with desi ghee.
- Cover the lid and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. After 4 minutes, remove the lid and mix it well. Cook it again for 3-4 minutes on low flame.
- After 3-4 minutes, mix it again and let it cook again for 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1 cup and 4 tbsp sugar to the mixture. Mix it well.
- Add 4-5 cardamom after crushing them. Mix them well. You can also use cardamom powder instead of whole cardamom.
- Now, cover it and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. Remove the cover after 4 minutes. Mix it well and cover it to let it cook again for 3-4 minutes. Turn the flame to medium now.
- Remove the cover and now we will cook it on medium on high flame without covering it so that it absorbs the sugar syrup before we add mawa.
- Add 400 gm grated mawa/khoya to the mixture. Mix it well and cook on medium flame.
- Stir and let it cook. Add 2 more tbsp desi ghee to the gajar halwa mixture. After a few minutes, turn the flame off when the mixture gets dried.
- Gajar ka halwa is ready.
- Garnish with chopped dry fruits.
