ISLAMABAD: Gajar ka Halwa, or Carrot Halwa, is a popular traditional Pakistani dessert made with fresh carrots, milk, sugar, and ghee (clarified butter).
It is a must-have on Pakistani tables, especially in winter. It’s a delightful and rich sweet dish often prepared during festivals and special occasions.
Here’s a simple recipe for preparing Gajar ka Halwa:
Ingredients:
1 kg fresh carrots, grated, 1 liter full-fat milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup ghee, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder, raisins for garnishing
Instructions:
- Wash and peel the carrots, then grate them using a fine grater.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat ghee and add the grated carrots.
- Sauté the carrots in ghee until they are well-cooked, and the raw smell disappears.
- Pour in the milk and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer the mixture on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the carrots absorb the milk and the mixture thickens.
- Add sugar to the mixture once the carrots are cooked, and the milk is mostly absorbed.
- Continue cooking and stirring until the sugar dissolves and the halwa thickens again.
- Add chopped nuts and cardamom powder and continue cooking until the halwa reaches a desired consistency.
- Garnish with more chopped nuts and raisins.
Serve warm Gajar ka Halwa, or it could be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy the deliciousness of homemade Gajar ka Halwa!
