Gajar ka Halwa – Carrot Pudding in Pressure Cooker
One of the most loved and cooked desserts in Indian homes is Gajar ka Halwa – Carrot Pudding. Carrot pudding or Gajar ka Halwa is one of the popular Indian Desserts cooked in winter not just for its taste but also for many health benefits of carrots.
Carrot is a winter vegetable loaded with essential nutrients like antioxidants, carotenoids, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K, lycopene, lutein, and fibers. Carrots help in digestion, maintain normal cholesterol, prevent heart disease, cure constipation, improve eyesight, aid in weight loss, lowers blood pressure as well as regulate proper blood.circulation. Carrots are used in cooking vegetables and rice dishes. In India, it is commonly used in biryanis, mixed vegetable sabji, soups as well as desserts.
Traditional Gajar Halwa is cooked in desi ghee ( clarified butter ), sugar, and whole milk enhanced with flavor and aroma of cardamom and saffron. Besides, it is also topped with the goodness of mixed dry fruits. It is cooked in an instant pot or pan on a very low flame with a lot of continuous stirring and standing. Carrot Pudding can also be cooked in condensed milk and mawa (khoa).
Step by step recipe of Gajar ka Halwa – Carrot Pudding cooked in Pressure Cooker
Generally, grated carrots or ground carrots are used in Gajar ka halwa making but I usually prefer them chopped into small thin pieces to cook it in a pressure cooker. My version of the pressure cooker Carrot pudding recipe is quick and simple to make, which doesn’t require constant stirring and standing. So it’s a perfect dessert for sudden guests in the house and untimely cravings. Everyone in my house including my kids loves gajar halwa, so I regularly cook it in winter.
Ingredients required for Gajar ka Halwa recipe
- 3 medium-size carrots peeled and chopped into small thin slices
- 1 cup low-fat milk
- 1/4 teaspoon of Cardamom Powder
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon of ghee or unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed dry fruits
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker, heat ghee or unsalted butter and let it dissolve. Add small thin slices of carrots and cook approximately 5 minutes or until the carrots become soft and cook down.
- Now add milk and mix well. Use a round bottom spatula to mash carrots. Now cover the lid of pressure and cook on a medium flame for 1 whistle. Next, turn off the flame and let the pressure release itself.
- Now open the pressure cooker and cook the carrot-milk mixture. Make sure it doesn’t stick to the surface.
- Next, add 1/4 cup sugar to the mixture and mix well. As sugar melts, the mixture will get viscous. Let all the moisture from halwa evaporate. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes until pudding consistency.
- Then add a pinch of cardamom powder, chopped dry fruits and mix well.
- Gajar Halwa is ready to serve. Transfer it to a serving plate and serve it hot or chilled.
Enjoy this mouth-watering halwa in winter with your loved ones, friends, and family.
