Gajar Halwa | Indian Carrot Sweet {Pressure Cooker Version}

The delicious “Gajar Halwa” made easy using a pressure cooker…

There she helps… 🙂

I had quite a bit of carrots sitting in my fridge and I had to finish it off. I checkedwith my colleagues whether they wanted halwa or kheer, and the response came in unanimous tone – HALWA! And it had been quite sometime since I had made it. Once I peeled the carrots and started grating it, my elder one, who was just up from her long sleep after her jet-lag  came and asked me if she could grate the carrots. I was pleasantly surprised! This is the first time she has asked me if she could help and that too with household chores! I was kind of worried as our marble top is slightly high, made for tall people like me. 😉 My elder one is actually taller than her age category kids. I told her that her hands may ache. She gave me a disappointed look and told, “Ummi, I am bored, I want to do something!”

Updated with new pictures and better recipe on February 17, 2021 : When it is winters in the north side of India, we land up with some amazing red carrots from Delhi at such amazing prices that all you want to make and devor is some gajar ka halwa. I am never a fan of this dessert unless it is made at home. Somehow the home made version has a totally different flavor quotient to it when compared to what you get at the close by cafeterias. The only thing that makes me feel lazy is grating the carrots, which now gets done by the food processor. 😉

Despite having several other gajar halwa recipes on the blog – whether it is  the microwave version, the one using condensed milk,  the Tarka type or the low calorie version, this remains my favorite at any given point of time. It has got to do with the texture. I love that you can hardly make out the carrot and it completely gets cooked and mashed up, thanks to the pressure cooker. The recipe is also very forgiving – you can substitute a part of the milk and sugar with some condensed milk, or even add some milk powder for some added creaminess. I recently started adding safffron and rose water into my gajar halwa and I totally love the dimension it gives to the final result.

This post belongs to the intial time of blogging and looking at the picture of Rasha, my heart aches. She has grown so much off my hands, and somehow the whole scenario of the post is so much etched in my mind. Some beautiful and lovely memories it has, that doesn’t fail to bring a light smile to my face. I wish you could see my face as I type on this post… 🙂

5 from 1 vote

Gajar Halwa | Indian Carrot Halwa {Pressure Cooker Version}

Course Sweets

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Rafeeda

Ingredients

• 1 kg carrots (preferably the red variety) peeled and grated
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 600 ml milk
• 1/2 cup sugar as per taste
• A pinch of cardamom
• 2-3 tbsp chopped nuts I used cashes, almonds and pistachios
• 1 pack thick cream 175 gm
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

• Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker. Saute the grated carrots on medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Pour in the milk, add sugar, cardamom and salt. Close the lid of the cooker and cook for one whistle on high whistle and keep on low for around 15 minutes.
• Switch off and let the pressure go on its own.
• Open the lid, switch on the flame to medium, add in the nuts and boil the mixture till the milk reduces and the mixture thickens.
• Keep stirring it in between to ensure that it does not get stuck at the bottom.
• Finally add the cream and give it a nice stir.
• Cook for another 5 minutes and switch off.
• Cool to room temperature and enjoy! If you love it chilled, then leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before devouring it. Yum!!!

Notes

I cook the carrots in the pressure cooker, since I love my carrot halwa to be really smashed up. I don't like to have bites in it - I would prefer biting the nuts rather than the carrot!!! So if you like your carrots to leave bites, then skip this step and continue with the remaining steps.
My sugar levels are pretty low, so please increase it as per your taste!

At times I add a pinch of saffron and a couple of tbsp of rose water for additional flavor.

Updated on January 29, 2022: Uploaded with a short video for this favorite recipe…