Gajar ka Halwa in Slow Cooker | Carrot Pudding

Gajar ka Halwa in Slow Cooker | Carrot Pudding

May the sacred fire of Lohri, burn all our troubles and sorrows into ashes and may we live the happiest life — a very happy Lohri and Makar Sankranti to everyone. Let’s celebrate on a sweet note with this rich and decadent Gajar ka Halwa in Slow Cooker | Carrot Pudding. Gajrela in my native Punjabi and Carrot Pudding in English is a sweet dessert, originating from Punjab in North India and Pakistan. It is made by cooking grated carrots in milk until it thickens to form a thick pudding or halwa.

Gajar ka Halwa is mainly a winter dessert eaten warm while tucked inside a comforter but festival times or any happy event, we Punjabis love to indulge in this dessert. The Gajar ka Halwa was first introduced by the Sikhs from Punjab, during the Mughal period. The Emperors enjoyed its vibrant colour, flowery aroma, and slightly chewy texture, and it gained popularity far and wide-spreading sweetness throughout the empire.

Gajar Ka Halwa

The word “halwa” means “sweet “and it is made with carrot or Gajar, thus the moniker, Gajar ka Halwa. Delectably scrumptious is the way to describe Gajar ka halwa. Hats off to whoever thought of adding sugar, milk and ghee to carrots, simmering it until the milk dried and serving it as a mouth-watering, lip-smacking dessert.

The red carrots are naturally sweet and this dessert can be made without sugar for diabetic patients. It tastes quite good. Just boil the grated carrots in milk, until all the milk evaporates. My mother-in-law would make this for my father-in-law who was not allowed to eat sweets.

Memories of Gajar Ka Halwa

The deep red Carrot with which the Halwa is made is a winter harvest and the markets in the north are flooded with these luscious beauties.  Down South, we seldom see these. This Halwa can be served hot or cold and has quite a long fridge life. My childhood memories of Gajar ka Halwa are very vivid. In our large family of seven, we needed a huge quantity. I remember my mom, sitting on the floor and grating a mound of carrots and then stirring them in a cauldron of milk. It was an exhausting task I am sure, but Mom would be smiling throughout and would serve it with a flourish.  I would hang around her in the kitchen waiting to be the first to taste it hot off the stove. My daughter now loves it as much as I do and made it for her today.

Gajar ka Halwa in Slow Cooker | Carrot Pudding

I know that most recipes turn out super delicious only when cooked on slow fire. I frankly admit that I do not have my Mom’s endurance or patience, but I do believe that what I cook has to be tasty. To achieve the high standards I set myself, I search for alternatives. I have a rice cooker which is also known as a slow cooker which changes to keep warm mode once the rice is cooked. I thought of experimenting by using this cooker for making the Carrot pudding.  After lunch, what I do is put the grated carrots and milk in the rice cooker to boil and then go for my siesta. Once I wake up the milk evaporates and the carrots are soaked in the milk.

There are different ways to make this dessert and I have just jotted down my own tried and tested recipe. The wonder of wonders, it turned out just purrfect as always!!

If you like traditional Halwas then check out Sooji Halwa, Atta Halwa and Navratri Halwa

Ingredients

1kg Red Carrots or grated Gajar 

1 ½ litre milk

1/2 tin condensed Milk

4-5 tbsp Ghee or Clarified Butter

2 cups of sugar ( 1 cup if you add condensed milk)

5 green cardamoms powdered

A handful of almonds chopped.

½ cup cream

 

Method:

Lightly peel and grate carrots and set aside.

Bring the milk to boil. Switch on the rice cooker; add the milk and carrots, let milk and carrot mixture boil till all the milk evaporates.

Do not put the lid on or the milk will overflow.

 

Now transfer this condensed milk and carrot blend into a kadhai or wok. Add the sugar and keep stirring.

The mixture becomes quite watery, hence keep stirring till it is almost dry.

Add the powdered cardamoms and the ghee and bhuno or sauté the halwa until it gets a deep red colour.

It should be soft and grainy but not completely dry. You can add the cream after removing from fire.

There is no added colour in this dessert. It is the natural colour of the carrot, heightened by cooking and of course the ghee.

Garnish with slivered almonds and serve hot in winters. You can store it in the refrigerator for 10 days.. Serve in individual bowls or in one dish.

Your sinful but delicious Gajar ka Halwa in Slow Cooker | Carrot Pudding is ready to be devoured.

Happy 2021 and beyond to all of you.

 

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