Carrot Halwa is a Pakistani sweet pudding made of red carrots. This popular recipe for the delicious dessert is especially favored during the winter months. Since it happens to be a personal favorite, I often make it for special occasions regardless of the season!

This recipe uses the traditional method of making the Carrot Halwa {Gajar ka Halwa}, but today there are many different ways to prepare it. Many people like to use the pressure cooker as it helps to quicken the cooking process.

I find that this slow cooked version has a richer creamier taste, but not everyone has that much time to spare. If you’re looking for an Instant Pot carrot Halwa you’re unfortunately in the wrong place, but if you want an authentic old-fashioned recipe then this is the spot!

INGREDIENTS

CARROTS
MILK
SUGAR
COOKING OIL
CARDAMOM
GARNISH
e.g slivered, almonds and chopped pistachios. 

RECIPE

The list of ingredients is fairly short for this recipe and the technique is not very complex. The amount of cooking time is long simply because the carrots release a lot of water as they cook. Most of the time in the recipe is spent waiting for the liquid to dry up. The carrots are naturally sweet and this, mixed with the sugar and milk is what creates that perfect pudding like consistency this sweet treat is famous for.

BOILING THE CARROT MIXTURE
In the first stage of making the Halwa, the carrots are cooked along with the milk and sugar on a medium flame. It’s best to start out with carrots at room temperature as the mixture will reach a boiling point quicker this way.

It’s also best to use a large pan that is wide as this allows for evaporation of the liquid in less time.
As the liquid evaporates it may be necessary to adjust the heat and change settings to low medium heat and eventually even low heat. The Halwa requires slow cooking at this stage to allow the carrots to get cooked through and towards the end a low flame is required.

Stirring will also be necessary at regular intervals to ensure that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
The cooking time for this stage is about 1 hour depending on individual cooking conditions.

ROASTING THE HALWA
Once all of the liquid has evaporated, it's time to start roasting the Halwa. Heat your Ghee or Oil, Sauté the cardamom and start roasting the reduced carrot mixture. Make sure to use a heavy bottom pan at this point so the Halwa doesn’t stick to the bottom as the sugar starts caramelizing. This can cause the Halwa to turn black due to charring and also alter the taste.
Roast for a good 15-20 minutes till the carrots bind together and turn a deep rich red. Then add in the remaining cardamom, garnish with the dry fruits of your choice and serve.

STORAGE & REHEATING THE HALWA
The Halwa will stay ok in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 3-4 weeks. I know many sources state that the Halwa can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months but in my personal opinion after about a month it doesn’t taste as fresh.
For reheating, I would microwave the halwa in 30 second increments till it reaches the desired temperature. Defrost the halwa first if it was in the freezer and then follow the same instructions.

If you wish to reheat the halwa in a large quantity, put it in a serving dish, cover with foil and place it in a preheated oven. The temperature should be 350 degrees Fahrenheit and the reheating time should be 20-30 minutes.

If you are serving this at a large gathering, heat it for 20 minutes, at the temperature above, then turn the oven off and leave it inside to keep warm.