Gajar ka Halwa in Pressure cooker (Carrot Halwa)

Name: Gajar ka Halwa in Pressure cooker (Carrot Halwa)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 kg carrot (select red & juicy carrots); 4 tbsp clarified butter/ghee, divided; 3 tbsp raisins ((Kismish)); 10 almonds, chopped (sliced, (Badam)); 10 cashews, chopped ((Kaju)); 10 pistachios, chopped (sliced, (Pista)); 1/2 cup milk; 1 tin condensed milk; 1/2 cup sugar ((reduce the quantity, if you prefer less sweet)); ½ tsp cardamom powder ((elaichi powder))

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Gajar ka Halwa in a pressure cooker made with grated carrots, sugar, ghee, and condensed milk. This easy Indian dessert is ready within 30 minutes.

Love to make this instant gajar ka halwa during winters. This is the season when red and juicy carrots are available. A lot of childhood memories are related to this recipe.

Table of Contents

What is Gajar Halwa?

Gajar is the “Hindi” name for “Carrot” & Halwa is an “Arabic” word that means “Sweet”. So, it is basically a sweet pudding made with carrots. It is also known as Carrot Halwa.

Carrot Halwa is made by cooking grated carrots in milk. Further, sugar, nuts & ghee are added and cooked until it becomes thick.

Finally, cardamom powder is added to flavor the carrot halwa. It is then garnished with almonds, cashews & pistachios.

Why you need this recipe

Quick and easy recipe
Easy to customise as per the ingredients available. Check out the ingredients list below.
Time saving – Traditional carrot halwa is made by sauteing the carot and milk until carrots are cooked and the milk thickens. It takes almost 1-2 hours to cook and even more if you cooking in larger quantity. You can save the cooking time by pressure cooking carrot halwa without compromising on taste.

close up of Gajar ka halwa made in pressure cooker. Served in ice-cream cups with spoon.

Ingredients and substitutions

Carrot – Red and juicy carrots are the best choice for making this sweet. Red color carrots are naturally sweet.
Milk – Add full fat milk for great flavor.
Sugar – You can substitute it with jaggery powder.
Ghee – Also known as clarified butter. It gives richness to the halwa and enhances the flavor.
Condensed milk – It is used to enhance the richness and adds creaminess to gajar halwa. You can susbtitute it with Khoya or milk powder.
Cardamom powder – It flavors the halwa. Most of the Indian desserts are incomplete without this flavor.

Tips to make Best Gajar Halwa

Use red color tender carrots for making the halwa.
You can make this halwa without Ghee. But ghee makes the Halwa rich & enhances the flavor of Halwa.
Use full-fat milk for making it. You can use toned milk to make it. But to increase the richness you have to use either condensed milk, Khoya or milk powder.
Adding condensed milk (or Khoya/Mawa) for making carrot halwa is optional. But I will recommend adding either condensed milk or Khoya to enhance the richness of Gajar Halwa.

FAQs

Can you make Gajar ka Halwa without condensed milk?

Yes, you can make gajar halwa without using condensed milk. You can follow the traditional method of making gajar halwa.
You have to use 1 liter of full-fat milk for 1 kg of carrots. Mix the grated carrots & milk together & cook it until the carrots are cooked (soft) & half of the milk is reduced. Stir at regular intervals to avoid burning the halwa. Then add sugar & cook until all the moisture evaporates. Finally, add ghee, nuts & cardamom powder & simmer for 5 minutes. Gajar ka Halwa without condensed milk is ready.
Condensed milk is added to reduce the cooking time of Carrot Halwa. You do not have to wait & stir continuously until milk reduces.

Which carrots are best to make Gajar Halwa?

Use red, juicy & tender carrots for making the halwa. These carrots have less fiber & are sweet in taste.
Red color carrots are mostly available during the winter season here. If carrots are tender then cooking time reduces & also they enhance the flavor of gajar Halwa.
You can also find orange color carrots in the market but they are not the right choice for making Halwa. They have more fiber & are less sweet compared to red color carrots. You can make Halwa with it but it will not taste good.

Other popular Indian dessert recipes

How to make Gajar ka Halwa in Pressure Cooker

Preparations

Wash the carrots under tap water & clean them. Remove the top & tip of the carrots.
Gently scrub it or peel it.
Grate all the carrots & keep it aside.
Slice the almonds & pistachios. Chop the cashews. Keep it aside.

Making Carrot Halwa

Heat a pressure cooker over low flame. Add 2 tsp clarified butter/ghee.
Fry raisins. Once it puffs up, take it out.
Next, fry almonds until golden. Keep it aside.
Fry cashews until golden. Keep it aside.
Add 2 tsp ghee/clarified butter in the cooker & add grated carrots in it.
On high flame, saute for 3-4 minutes until raw smell from carrot leaves.
Add milk & mix it well.
Cover the lid of the cooker & cook for 3 whistles.
After 3 whistles, let the pressure settle down completely.
Open the lid & stir it once.
Next on high flame add condensed milk and stir to combine. Taste and add sugar as per taste. Here, I have added 1/2 cup of sugar.
Stir it & cook until milk evaporates. It will take 10-15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, the mixture will reduce.
Add the raisins, almonds & cashews (reserve some for garnish), ghee & cardamom powder.
Now simmer the flame & cook for 5 minutes.
Instant Gajar Halwa in pressure cooker is ready.
Garnish it with chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios & raisins.
Serve hot & enjoy!

close up of carrot halwa served in ice-cream cups. Garnished with chopped almonds, cashews & raisins

Serving suggestions

Serve it as a dessert after lunch or dinner.

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Instant Carrot Halwa recipe

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