Recipe for A Simple and Light Gajar ka Halwa with Jaggery
Recipe for A Simple and Light Gajar ka Halwa with Jaggery
GKH is usually prepared during Winter when it’s the season of those Beautiful Plump Sweet Red Carrots. Hence, since most Indian Wedding stake place during the Winter season, GKH is a must have at the Dessert Counter. If it’s not seen on the dessert counter, the Wedding is definitely not complete. GKH and Vanilla Ice-cream is a super Hit combo dessert but I love to enjoy it plain as it is. Cooked Carrots are my Biggest Dushmans…Oh No wait Dudhi is my biggest oh God no wait it’s Karela I guess….ok All Three☹ And Honestly, I’m not such a Great Fan of GKH, like if it’s there I’ll eat it but I wouldn’t go the extra mile to make it like the way I would make Gulab Jamuns or Ras Malai. At Home, I make it only when we either have a cold or flu but still want to enjoy a dessert(because this is best enjoyed when Hot) or IfI have leftover Carrots. But at weddings it’s a different story altogether. I get excited to see Gajar ka halwa at the counter as if I’ve met some long lost family member or friend! Oh God! I just get so excited to eat it at weddings….May be because it’s Free…who knows….who cares…..Enjoy karo 😊hahaha!The Traditional and Authentic GKH calls for many rich ingredients, like Mawa, Milk Maid, and Lots and Lots of Ghee. But I like to keep my Gajar ka Halwa simple, Light and Easy so that I don’t have to limit my servings to just One Bowl! Hahah…jitna chahiye Khao….at the end of it Carrots are Good for Health na…..so they say!! 😊 😊On the other hand, I’m a Baap of Shortcuts. So I try to make do with whatever is available in my Kitchen and yet try to achieve the same taste and consistency that is required. At the end of it all, GKH and Carrot Cake are the only two ways you can get me to eat Cooked Carrots and maybe in Fried Rice….that’s it! I’m sure there are many out there like me who are not great fans of Carrots ☹ So this recipe is for all of you! Trust me when I say this, It’s really delish!
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 Carrots – approx. 300gms – (peeled, washed and grated
- 1.5 Cup Milk
- 80 gms Sugarcane/white Jaggery(roughly chopped) or 60 gms Sugar( you can adjust as per taste)
- ¼ Tspn Salt
- ½ Tspn Cardamom powder
- 1 Tbspn Ghee
- A handful of mixed dry fruits(Cashew, Pistas, Raisins) – roughly chopped(optional)
Instructions
- In a skillet or a Pan, add the Milk and bring it to a boil
- As soon as the milk comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium and add the grated Carrot and stir it continuously
- After about 10 minutes, add the Jaggery or Sugar and Salt and continue stirring and scraping off and mixing the sides of the PanNote: Gajar ka Halwa is usually made using sweet Red Carrots that are mostly found during Winter. If you’re using Red Carrots, you may have to reduce the quantity of Sugar/Jaggery as the Red carrots are Naturally Sweeter than the Orange Carrots Note: If you leave it unattended, the halwa will get stuck at the bottom of the Pan especially if it is not a Non-stick pan. So, ensure you stir continuously
- After sometime add the Ghee
- As the Mixture is boiling, you will notice it beginning to thicken. You can increase the heat here and allow it to boilKeep stirring
- When the mixture further thickens, add the Cardamom powder and mix wellNote: Cardamom powder is the secret ingredient that enhances the taste in any Indian sweet. So, ensure you do not skip this ingredient
- Once the Milk begins to evaporate, add the dry fruits and mix well
- Keep mixing until all the Milk evaporates and you have a nice thick mushy mixture
- Turn off the Heat and enjoy this Beautiful, Simple, Light Gajar ka Halwa when its Hot. You can pair it with a nice big scoop of Vanilla Ice-cream! Yummmm
