Nxtleveledit at 15:47, 11 February 2026

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{{short description|South Asian sweet}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Gajar ka halwa
| image = Cuisine (268) 44.jpg
| caption = Gajar ka halwa
| alternate_name = Carrot halwa, gajar ka meetha pak, gajrela, gajorer halwa, gazoror halwa, gajar pak
| region = [[South Asia]]
| national_cuisine = [[Indian cuisine|India]], [[Bangladeshi cuisine|Bangladesh]], [[Pakistani cuisine|Pakistan]]
| creator =
| course = Dessert
| served = Hot or cold
| main_ingredient = Carrots, milk, water, ghee, sugar, [[khoya]]
| variations = Black carrot halwa, red carrot halwa, carrot and beetroot halwa, cheesy carrot halwa
| calories =
| other =
}}

'''''Gajar ka halwa''''', also known as '''''gajorer halwa''''', '''''gajarno halwo''''', '''''gajar pak''''', and '''carrot pudding''',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chauhan |first=D. V. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kThCAAAAYAAJ&q=Gajar+Pak |title=Vegetable Production in India |date=1968 |publisher=Ram Prasad |language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://www.thekitchn.com/carrot-halwa-211251?recip_id=2181239 Recipe: Carrot Halwa]</ref><ref>{{cite book | title=Classic Punjabi vegetarian and Grain Cooking | author=Julie Sahni | year=1985 | publisher=HarperCollins | isbn=0-688-04995-8 | page=512 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OppwQgAACAAJ&q=gajar+halwa}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=NDTV Cooks|title=Gajar Ka Gajrela|url=http://cooks.ndtv.com/recipe/show/gajjar-ka-gajrela-232876|access-date=23 August 2012}}</ref> is a type of [[halva]], an Indian [[dessert]], made by placing [[Grater|grated]] [[Carrot|carrots]] in a pot containing a specific amount of water, milk, sugar, and cardamom and then cooking with ghee while stirring regularly. It is often served with a garnish of almonds and pistachios.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} The nuts and other items used are first [[Sautéing|sautéed]] in [[ghee]], a type of clarified butter from the Indian subcontinent.<ref>{{cite web|last = Leverkuhn |first =A. |title= What is Carrot Halwa |url=http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-carrot-halwa.htm|access-date=23 August 2012}}</ref> It is generally served hot during the winter.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Onegreenplanet.org |title=Recipe Khajur Gajar Halwa Carrot and Date Pudding with Coconut and Cardamom on Winter | url=http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/recipe-khajur-gajar-halwa-carrot-and-date-pudding-with-coconut-and-cardamom/|access-date=23 August 2012}}</ref>

The dessert is traditionally eaten during all of the festivals in the Indian subcontinent, mainly on the occasion of [[Diwali]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Palusci |first=Oriana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H2EFwF6yVnEC |title=English, But Not Quite: Locating Linguistic Diversity |date=2010 |publisher=Tangram Ediz. Scientifiche |isbn=978-88-6458-007-4 |language=en}}</ref> [[Holi]], [[Raksha Bandhan]], and [[Muslim holidays|Eid]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nanakfoods.com/images/desserts.pdf |title=- Nanakfoods "Gajar Halwa on Festivals" |access-date=27 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030153634/http://www.nanakfoods.com/images/desserts.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> It is served hot during the winter.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Onegreenplanet.org |title=Recipe Khajur Gajar Halwa Carrot and Date Pudding with Coconut and Cardamom on Winter | url=http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/recipe-khajur-gajar-halwa-carrot-and-date-pudding-with-coconut-and-cardamom/|access-date=23 August 2012}}</ref>

==Description==
''Gajar ka halwa'' is a combination of [[Nut (fruit)|nuts]], [[milk]], [[sugar]], [[khoya]] and [[ghee]] with grated [[carrot|carrots]].<ref name="Halwa-Sweet2">{{cite news |last=Sharma |first=Vaishali |title=Gajar ka Halwa (Sweet Carrot Pudding) |url=http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=6984 |access-date=29 August 2012 |archive-date=6 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106033027/http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=6984 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Origin of carrot halwa">{{cite web|last=Rosen|first=Diana|title=Carrot Halwa|url=http://www.care2.com/greenliving/carrot-halwa.html#13462012042051&action=collapse_widget&id=2020537|access-date=29 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531111705/http://www.care2.com/greenliving/carrot-halwa.html#13462012042051&action=collapse_widget&id=2020537|archive-date=31 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> It has a medium shelf life so it is now sometimes exported.

At the time of festivals, many people prefer vegetarian dishes as well as desserts in their [[thali]]. Because of its low fat content, vegetarian characteristics, ease of making, medium shelf-life and taste, ''gajar ka halwa'' is a popular dessert all over India and often served at most festivals.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

==Recipe and ingredients==
''Gajar ka halwa'' originally contained carrots, milk and ghee but nowadays includes many other ingredients like mava ([[khoya]]).<ref>{{cite book |title=The Dish|publisher=Troubador Publishing Ltd.|isbn=9781848761018|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CLPr1bk2474C&q=books+contain+gajar+halwa&pg=PA138 |author1=Penny Isaacs |author2=Sarah Lockett |page=139 |access-date=5 January 2014|date=2009-02-14}}</ref>

The main ingredients of ''gajar ka halwa'' are freshly grated carrots, milk, sugar, cardamom, [[khoya]], and ghee. Being a combination of milk and carrots, it is known as milk flavored ''gajar ka halwa'' but in the other case, the combination of cream or mava ([[khoya]]) and carrot is described as mava flavored ''gajar ka halwa''.<ref name="bbc news">{{cite news|author=The Raman family|title=Carrot halwa Veg|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/carrot_halwa_67645|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224193802/http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/carrot_halwa_67645|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 December 2010|access-date=29 August 2012|agency=bbc.co.uk|year=2012}}</ref> For cooking, a [[Pressure cooker|cooker]] or [[Karahi|kadai]] is usually preferred. Vasundhara Chauhan, writing for [[The Hindu]], writes that ''gajar ka halwa'' should be slow-cooked and that using a pressure cooker spoils the dish.<ref name="ToI">{{cite news |date=2 January 2010 |title=Vasundhara Chauhan Article72932 |work=The Hindu |location=Chennai, India |url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Vasundhara_Chauhan/article72932.ece |access-date=23 August 2012}}</ref> The carrots must be grated before cooking.

==Variations==
{{multiple image
| perrow = 1
| total_width = 300
| caption_align = center
| image1 = Halva1.jpg
| caption1 = Gajar ka Halwa as [[mithai (confectionery)|mithai]] (red discs present in middle)
| image2 = Carrot gajar halwa with kheer India Sweets.jpg
| caption2 = Gajar ka halwa served with [[kheer]]
}}
Red velvet carrot ''halwa'' is a variation of the ''gajar ka halwa''. It is made by heating a comparatively large amount of milk cream along with carrots, [[sugar]], [[rose water]] and [[saffron]] over low flame.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gupta|first=Sonia|title=Red velvet gajar halwa|url=http://www.foodista.com/recipe/T8R7YHMN/red-velvet-carrot-halwa#s.ab45ish3ibaaa|access-date=28 September 2012}}</ref>

Other lesser-known variations include carrot and beetroot ''halwa'', cheese ''gajar ka halwa'', ''khajur gajar ka halwa'' and carrot dessert. Cheese ''gajar ka halwa'' is prepared with a combination of purple carrots and [[ricotta]]. This dish is popular in northern India because purple carrots are mostly grown there.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sahni|first=Chetna|title=A Mad Tea Party|date=28 March 2009 |url=http://madteaparty.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/kanji-on-one-sunny-spring-day/|access-date=28 September 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Indian cuisine]]
* [[Pakistani cuisine]]
* [[Bangladeshi cuisine]]
* [[Halwa]]
* [[Pudding]]
* [[List of carrot dishes]]
* [[List of Pakistani sweets and desserts]]
* [[List of Indian sweets and desserts#North|List of Indian sweets and dessert]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikibooks|Cookbook:Gajjar Halwa}}
* [https://flavorofrecipe.com/gajar-ka-halwa-recipe-in-hindi/ Gajar Ka Halwa Recipe]

{{Navboxes|list1 =
{{Carrots}}
{{Bangladeshi dishes}}
{{Indian Dishes}}
{{Pakistani dishes}}
{{Puddings}}
}}

[[Category:Carrot dishes]]
[[Category:Indian desserts]]
[[Category:North Indian cuisine]]
[[Category:Pakistani desserts]]
[[Category:Punjabi cuisine]]
[[Category:Halva]]

Gajar ka halwa - Revision history

Nxtleveledit at 15:47, 11 February 2026