🥕 Gajar ka halwa
Gajar ka halwa is a North Indian carrot pudding made by slowly simmering grated carrots in milk until it reduces and thickens. It is finished with sugar, ghee and cardamom, then scattered with chopped almonds. The texture is soft and slightly grainy, rich and fragrant, and it is served warm in small bowls, especially in winter.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g carrots, finely grated
- 750 ml milk
- 80 g sugar
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 4 cardamom pods, seeds crushed
- 20 g almonds, chopped
Method
- Simmer the grated carrots in the milk in a wide heavy pan, stirring often, for 40–50 minutes until the milk has almost evaporated.
- Add the ghee and stir-fry the carrots for 5 minutes until glossy.
- Stir in the sugar and cook until the mixture thickens again, about 10 minutes.
- Add the cardamom, scatter with almonds and serve warm.
How to make it lighter
- A small bowl of 100–120 g is a typical dessert portion; serve in small cups to keep it there.
- Cut the ghee to 1 tbsp — 1 tbsp ghee is about 120 kcal — and rely on slow cooking for richness.
- Use semi-skimmed milk and reduce the sugar by a third; the carrots are naturally sweet.
History
The dessert is closely associated with Punjab and North India, where sweet red winter carrots are in season. Today gajar ka halwa is a standard sweet at weddings, Diwali and winter family gatherings.
Count it in one photo
Point your camera at the table — Me Nutrition recognises Gajar ka halwa and every other dish, with calories and macros for each. Ate only half? Slide it.
Download on the App StoreSimilar dishes
Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →