Carrot Halwa
A rich, slow-cooked Indian dessert of carrots simmered in milk and ghee, perfumed with cardamom and finished with crunchy nuts. This version is deeply caramelized and wonderfully indulgent.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 6g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb carrots
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 tbsp ghee
- ¾ cup sugar
- 6 whole cardamom pods
- ½ cup mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios)
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- 1
Peel and finely grate the 1.5 lb carrots. Set aside.
- 2
In a large heavy-bottomed pan, bring the 4 cups milk to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- 3
Add the grated carrots to the milk and stir. Cook over medium-low, stirring often, until the milk is mostly absorbed and the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
- 4
Add the 4 tbsp ghee and 0.75 cup sugar. Stir well and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture turns deep golden and starts to leave the sides of the pan, about 15 minutes.
- 5
Crush the 6 cardamom pods to extract seeds; discard pods. Add the seeds to the halwa along with the 0.5 cup nuts and 0.25 cup coconut. Stir to combine.
- 6
Cook for another 5 minutes until the nuts are toasted and the halwa is thick and glossy. Serve warm, garnished with extra nuts if desired.
- 7
For a deeper flavor, you can add a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Tools you’ll need
- box grater or food processor
- large heavy-bottomed pan
- wooden spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
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