Indian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Gajar ka Halwa

Grated carrots simmer slowly in whole milk and ghee until a dense, cardamom-scented halwa forms.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1kg carrots
• 1L whole milk
• 150g sugar
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 6 cardamom pods
• 50g cashews
• 40g raisins

Instructions

1. Peel the carrots and grate them finely on the coarse side of a grater – 1kg yields about 800g of shreds; open the cardamom pods and crush the seeds in a mortar.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of the ghee in a wide, heavy pot and sauté the shredded carrots over medium heat for 8–10 min. until they collapse and smell sweetly fragrant.
3. Pour in the whole milk and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 40–45 min., stirring every 5 min., until the milk has almost completely reduced.
4. Stir in the sugar – the mixture will briefly turn liquid again – and cook uncovered for another 10 min. until the halwa glistens and pulls away from the bottom of the pot when stirred.
5. Toast the cashews and raisins in the remaining ghee for 2 min. until golden, add the crushed cardamom and fold in all but a spoonful.
6. Serve the halwa warm in small bowls, sprinkled with the reserved cashews and raisins.