Carrot Halwa (Gajjar ka Halwa)

Carrot Halwa always takes me back to the childhood days. It was usually served during the winter months and the warm halwa would just disappear so fast – so warm, soft and “the melt in the mouth” goodness…mmm! Did we mention that carrots are very good for you? 😉
With a lot of festivals round the corner, we though we’d start the auspicious part of the year with this great, easy and hands-off treat.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

Finely Shredded Carrots: 2 lbs (approx 1 kg)
Condensed Milk – 1 X 14 oz can
Evaporated Milk – 1 X 12 oz can
Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 2 tbsp
Cashews – 1 tbsp
Pistachio – 1 tbsp
Raisins – 1 tbsp
Cardamom Powder – 1/4 tsp, podwered
Sliced Almonds – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the Raisins in some water.
2. In a microwave safe, tall bowl, mix the Carrots with Evaporated Milk and the Condensed Milk.
3. Mix very well.
4. Microwave for 10 minutes.
5. Take the bowl out and mix really well.
6. Microwave again for another 10 minutes.
7. Take the bowl out and mix well again.
8. Now mix and it goes in for 5 minutes.
9. Take it out and mix well and back in the microwave for 5 minutes.
10. Mix again.
11. You want to keep cooking till all the moisture has been absorbed by the carrots.
12. Powder the Cardamom Seeds and mix it into the Carrot mixture.
13. In a little skillet, heat the Ghee (Clarified Butter)
14. Add in the Cashews and fry them for just a minute.
15. Drain the water out of the Raisins and add just those into the Ghee.
16. Fry for just another minute and add everything from the skillet to the Carrot Halwa.
17. Mix well and serve hot.
18. Garnish with Pistachios and sliced Almonds.

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0 thoughts on “Carrot Halwa (Gajjar ka Halwa)

  1. Hello Anuja & Hetal ( Life Savers )
    I have my exams coming up in 15 days and my in laws are visiting me tmrw – this recipe is such a quick fix !! i was studying the entire time while gaajar ka halwa was getting cooked 🙂 thanks for helping me prove that i am ideal bahu in planning the menu even though i havent really put in any efforts.
    I made a small alteration by adding 1/4 cup of heavy cream after the first 5 min cooking – it turned much creamier ! of cors not healthier 🙂 but who cares !!
    Thanks for all the help

  2. We are planning to use this recipe for a party of 75 people. Obviously cooking in the microwave is not feasible. Do you think this recipe works without the microwave (cooking on the stove)

    1. Hi Priya,
      You can do it on the stove-top but you will have to first saute the carrots in ghee and then add the condensed milk. Unfortunately, we don’t know the exact measurements and timings…

  3. I made this dish for the first time and my whole family thought it serve delicious. So easy and so delicious.Thank you.

    Thank you. Question, I have been looking for recipes as chicken (tikka) Jalfrezi, Chicken tikka masala and all the other recipes from the best Indian restaurant. That would truly sumptuous, as you so well and clearly explain..

    Thanks a lot again
    Brigitte
    From France

  4. Hi Ladies,

    What should be the temperature settings on the microwave for this recipe? I have a microwave that has settings such as low, medium, medium high and high.

    Thank you.

  5. Hi Hetal and Anuja,

    I’ve do it trice and all the time it was awesome 😉 Thanks very much for all these recipes. And a little thing, i don’t like dry raisins, what can i put instead? And i’ve put almonds only.

  6. Hi girls,

    I’ve do it trice and all the time it was awesome 😉 Thanks very much for all these recipes. And a little thing, i don’t like dry raisins, what can i put instead?

  7. Hi ladies,

    Is Evaporated Milk the same as coffee milk what we use here Europa?

    PS do you know how to make carrot barfi??

    Thank you.

    Shabnam

    1. Evaporated milk is regular milk with approx 60% moisture removed…not sure if it is the same as your coffee milk. It is different here in the US.

    1. Hi Sabina,

      Evaporated milk is milk that has about 60% of its moisture removed, making it thicker. It does not contain any sugar. Condensed milk is sweetened. This recipe uses both products.

  8. Hello Hetal ANd Anuja

    First I would like to say that I really enjoy going through your website and the recipes that you always post. I tried some of them and the results were amazing. =)
    As for this recipe I have been always looking for a quick version and I think yours is the best. But I do have a question regarding the microwave part. What if I don’t want to use it in a microwave and would use the a saucepan and heating it on the oven..how long would I need and would it work?

    Thank you
    Afra

  9. Hi Hetal &anuja,
    i would like to ask if we can use the regular salad carrots (orange color)….or da red indian ones?wich wud taste better??and if we r willing to add sugar at wich stage shall we add?

    1. Hi Madiha,

      We have never used the red carrots (we only get the orange ones). You can add additional sugar at the beginning along with the condensed and evaporated milk.

  10. Maine zindagi pehli baar Gajer ka Halwa taste kia.
    Wah, kya taste hai. Bohat khoob. Main zaroor phir se ye banawoeng ki.

    Greets Shilpa

  11. Hello Ladies,

    I had a Halloween potluck at my workplace yesterday and I decided to make this. I doubled up the entire recipe as I had to make sure that my colleagues can have some to atleast taste it. It was super hit :):) Everyone was raving about it. At my workplace, I have folks from different countries and they loved it. I am really thankful to you for this lovely recipe. However, just wanna make note – if someone is doubling the recipe, please also double up the time. It does take time for freaking 2.15 kgs of carrots to get cooked :):):)

    I also tried microwaving carrots for 60 -90 secs as Neeta suggested; however, it did not work for me. It was easy at start but then my carrots started breaking,thus interrupting my speedy flow of grating carrots.No offense Neeta, maybe I just did something wrong.

    Thanks Hetal & Anuja for making this halwa 🙂
    Cheers
    -Urvi

    1. Urvi, thanks for the helpful review- good to see reviewers who made and liked the recipe- not just another review from someone who thinks the recipe looks good to try one day. thanks for the comment that microwaving the carrots b4 grating didn’t work for u.

  12. Hi ladies thanks for the nice recipe…I tried this today but it failed! Something went wrong with the proportions I think …I didnt have enough milk like you did in the video so I added more. and I didn’t have a tall container so also made a mess of my microwave. I will try with half portions next time. too bad!
    sheba

      1. Hi Hetal, thanks for the reply! I feel like doing this again, half portions this time. I just wanted to make sure I have the right stuff…condensed milk is the thick sweetened milk right? and evaporated milk is thinner? It’s difficult to get some of the ingredients where I live (in Holland) but I shall persevere! Thanks for a great website!
        sheba

    1. Hi Sylvie,

      This dessert really is milk based so we have not tried it any other way. Perhaps you can experiment with soy milk?

  13. JP is still waiting for sweet Bhalosha and Maysoorpak recipes’s please Anuja and Hetal show us how to make it when I follow your recipe step’s everything looks easy so please please post the recipes Thank you

  14. Hi Anuja and Hetal,
    First of all your sarees are gorgeous! But you always both look very nice in your videos. I am curious to ask if you used a regular grater for the carrots as for cheese, or did you use a food processor? The processor would probably give a finer grind and I wasn’t sure which to use. Thanks for your lovely recipes.

  15. Dear Hetal and Anuja,

    Firstly, you both look gorgeous and traditional in beautiful Sarees!

    Thanks for posting this Halwa recipe just in time before festivals. I am preparing this today for Janmaashtmi which will be celebrated tomorrow. I am excited about the Microwave version as it saves so much of hard work of constantly stirring it for hours. I am sure it shall taste as good…Now I am waiting for the “moong daal halwa” video.

    Thanks.

  16. hi ladies … wonderful and easy recipe. wud try it out ..

    cud u plz show some easy to make christmas sweets/cakes 🙂

  17. hey anuja and hetal, i tried to make this dessert and many other dishes and they ALL TURNED OUT DELICIOUS a/1!! thankyou for your wonderful recipes… can you show how to make the sweet baloosha and maysoorpac? i would really appreciat if you can! 🙂
    thanks a bunch,
    Jabeen

  18. Hi Hetal and Anuja,
    I made the gajjar halwa last night. I didn’t have a tall dish so I ended up making a mess in my microwave oven 🙂
    It came out well nevertheless.
    Would you recommend storing the halwa in the fridge or at room temperature?

    Thanks!

  19. Thanx for an easy version, many of your viewers are waiting for ur versionn of moong dal halwa so pleaseeeeeeeee include that in ur to do list along with chai masala as well.

    Thanx

      1. Hi Sha,
        We got the results yesterday, unfortunately, we did not win 🙁 but we are absolutely thrilled at the support and the love we got from our viewers 🙂
        We feel on top of the world right now 🙂
        Thank you!

        1. Hetal & Anuja, better luck next time. But do participate in the future contest. We will support you guys always…Good Luck

  20. Hi hetal & anuja,

    thanks for a healthy and quick version of gajar ka halwa. Will surely try it tomorrow. Would you please show how to make Choorma sometime….! Please add this to your long list 🙂

  21. Hi Anuja and Hetal,

    Thankyou so much for all the yummy recipes u girls post,I know this is a food site but every time i see u girls i really want to know how u girls stay healthy and slim with all indian food and both of your arms are the best pls pls if sometime you can show us some arms exercise and health tips as i am sure lots of us r strugling.Wish your web can help us in that way too,will be greatful.thanks.god bless u both

  22. YOU GIRLS LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL IN SAREE – HEY KEEP THIS GOINGS GIRLS!!!!! I WISH YOU GIRLS COULD BE IN OUR TRADITIONAL SALWAZ KAMEEZ OR SAREE EVERY TIME YOU PRESENT SOMETHING FOR US – WE MUST BE PROUD OF IT.

  23. Hi H&A,
    What was the result of the Food Network finalist? I voted every day. Can you please update the results?

    Bela

  24. You both look lovely in your Sarees. Thanks for developing shortcuts to some of these time-consuming recipes. Last time I made Carrot Halwa, it took what seemed like forever. Can’t wait to try this!!!
    Thanks again, keep on keeping on. We love you.

  25. The carrot halva recipe is very nice, one can do the same with tin mango juice..instead you use pistacho + roll in poppy seed..same as the carrot halva…try & see

  26. Hi Hetal Anuja, wonderful recipe. I have been making my Gazar ka halwa in microwave for a couple of years now. I would like to share a tip for grating the carrots..

    Peel off the skin, cut the ends off carrots and microwave this for a 60sec to 90sec and its really easy to grate the carrots. Makes a huge difference when you are cooking things in a rush.

    1. Neela, thanks for the tip. I’ve never made gajar ka halwa b/c it looks like a pain to grate and then stand over a stove forever. Now, I actually want to try this!

  27. Hey,

    The recipe looks amazingly simple.. I am going to try this for sure .. n that woul be my first time.. but i was just thinking would those orange coloured carrots that we get here in US would taste as good as the indian ones ?

  28. Hi Hetal and Anuja

    Both of you’ll are looking lovely …

    Thats an easy way to make carrot halva …
    Thanks …

  29. Lovely…!
    You know what..i always do the traditional one. 🙁 And trust me…buy the time you are done cooking this thing…man, you feel like going to sleep.
    I do it with 2% milk, khoya and of course sugar.
    Im defintely gonna try this since this will save me time and energy specially when im making this for a party..

    Thanks didi’s for this recipe!!

    You guys look lovely in Sarees…but pretty tired though..

    Priya

      1. Hi…love love love ur recipes…u ladies rock…have a request…can u plz show the making of oatmeal chocolate chip cookie like potbelly,soft n cheweey,& soft angel food cake plzzzz

  30. awesome…microwave n traditional recipe combo is always a hit with me bcoz i m a very impatient cook…thank u

    hetal..just love ur bandhini saree…reminds me of my very own
    Garavi Gujarat….
    anuja…u look fantastic.

  31. Hello Hetal & Anuja,

    First of all, you both are looking ultra preety in saree 🙂

    Thanks so much for this lovely recipe. I was just browsing the dessert section for some recipes for the current festive season and it seems you read my mind…

    Will get the carrots today itself 🙂

    Cheers

    – Urvi

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