Gajar Ka (Carrot) Halwa
Gajar Ka (Carrot) Halwa
Shambhavi's favorite Indian dessert or love at first bite
The Story
I can’t remember when I first tasted gajar ka halwa. But it was definitely love at first bite. Over the years, many stories have gathered around my life as a lover of this sweet treat.
Gajar ka halwa is a wintertime speciality in north India, Kashmir, and Pakistan. It’s made in huge quantities over open flames by street vendors and in sweet shops. Many a time have I stood at the entrance to Viswanath Lane in Varanasi and scarfed down warm, freshly made gajar ka halwa swimming in ghee.
Once I bought two kilograms (4.4. lbs!) of the halwa for my fellow attendees at a retreat at the ashram of Shibendu Lahiri in the Bangali Tola neighborhood of Varanasi. I handed the precious cargo over to the cooks at the ashram so that they could serve it for dessert that evening.
Dinner was prepared and eaten, but no halwa appeared. I went back to the cooks and asked why they hadn’t served it.
“There wasn’t enough for everyone, so we ate it,” came the reply.
I didn’t know whether to be angry or impressed by this brazen theft (and their appetites!)
This particular recipe was gifted to me by Mary Thompson, an Ayurvedic doctor in Grass Valley, California. I was lucky enough to rent a cottage on Mary’s property for several months of teaching, writing, and retreat. Mary is a great cook, and when she heard of my love for this confection, it just so happened that she had a recipe tested and ready to go. Voila!
Ingredients
5 cups grated organic carrots - the fresher the better
1 cup whole milk or homemade nutmilk of thicker consistency
1/2 cup coconut sugar or other sweetener
1/4 cup ghee
1 tsp freshly ground cardamom
2 heaping tbsp golden raisins
2 heaping tbsp nuts (roughly chopped pistachios or cashews, sliced almonds, or a combination!)
Some whole nuts for decoration.
Instructions
Be sure to stir frequently throughout the cooking process to prevent burning.
Heat carrots & milk together over medium heat and cook until tender-about 20 min.
Add sugar and continue to cook about 30 minutes.
Add ghee and cook 30 more minutes.
Add raisins, cardamom, and nuts and cook until milk has been totally absorbed and evaporated.
Remove from the heat, and plate the gajar ka halwa into a large serving dish or individual serving ramekins.
Decorate with whole nuts, and keep warm until serving.
Innovations
Get creative with the spices and flavors. A vanilla bean thrown in the pot might be nice, or substituting the coconut sugar with maple syrup, or ghee with coconut oil. Warning: I have never actually tried these things.
Gajar ka halwa Indian village style
Even if you cannot understand Hindi, you’ll enjoy this video of gajar ka halwa being made oh so traditionally over a clay fire pit. The color of the carrots is dazzling.