My Go at Making Gajar Ka Halwa – Quick and Easy!
Okay, so I had this craving for Gajar Ka Halwa the other day. Didn’t want to spend hours, though. Found a recipe that promised “quick and easy,” so I thought, let’s give it a shot. Here’s how it went down in my kitchen.
First things first, got the carrots. About a kilo, maybe a bit less. The recipe said bright red ones are best, so I picked those. Gave them a good wash under the tap, scrubbed off any dirt. Then came the peeling. Always a bit tedious, peeling carrots, but got it done. The messy part? Grating. Used my food processor for some, did the rest by hand with a box grater because I wanted a mix of textures. Yeah, my knuckles got a little scraped, happens every time.
Next, I grabbed my trusty heavy-bottomed pan. You really need a good thick one so the halwa doesn’t stick and burn. Plopped in a generous amount of ghee – maybe three or four tablespoons? Let it melt and get warm, not smoking hot.
Tipped all those grated carrots into the pan. The sizzle sound was quite nice. Started sautéing them. Kept stirring pretty much constantly for about 10 minutes. You gotta cook out that raw carrot smell and soften them up. The colour changes a bit, gets deeper.
Now, milk time. The quick recipe suggested using milk powder or condensed milk to speed things up, but I had regular full-fat milk on hand, about half a liter. Poured it in. Brought it to a simmer, then turned the heat down low. Let it bubble away gently. Still needed stirring, but less frantically now. Just enough to stop it catching on the bottom. This part took maybe 15-20 minutes, letting the carrots cook in the milk and the milk reduce down.
Once most of the milk had evaporated and the mixture looked thick, it was time for sugar. Added about a cup, maybe a bit less, tasted as I went. Also threw in some crushed green cardamom pods – maybe 4 or 5? Love that smell. This is where you gotta pay attention again. Stir, stir, stir. The sugar melts, makes it liquidy again for a bit, then it starts to thicken up properly. Cooked it until the ghee started separating from the sides of the halwa. That’s the sign it’s nearly done.
For the final touch, I tossed in a handful of chopped cashews and almonds I’d lightly toasted earlier. Some people add raisins, but I’m not a huge fan in halwa. Gave it all a good mix for another minute or two.
And that was basically it! Turned off the heat. Let it sit for a few minutes. Scooped some into a bowl. It smelled amazing. Tasted pretty darn good too, rich and comforting. Not bad at all for a “quick” version. Definitely satisfied the craving.