Gajar ka halwa

Gajar ka halwa (Hindi: गाजर का हलवा, Urdu / Punjabi: گاجر کا حلوە), also known as gajrela, is a sweet dessert pudding associated mainly with the North India and Pakistan. It originated in bihar and was earlier known as Gajar ka hal but later biharis insisted on calling it halwa. It is made by placing grated carrot in a pot containing a specific amount of water, milk and sugar and then cooking while stirring regularly. It is often served with a garnish of almonds and pistachios. The nuts and other items used are first sautéed in ghee, a South Asian clarified butter.

The dessert is favorite all over Northern India and Pakistan. It is traditionally eaten during all of the festivals in India, mainly on the occasion of Diwali, Holi, Eid al-Fitr and Raksha Bandhan. It is served hot during the winter.

Nowadays, gajar ka halwa is a popular worldwide dessert with many variations such as red velvet halwa, carrot and beetroot halwa, and cheesy carrot halwa.

Description

Gajar ka halwa is a combination of nuts, milk, sugar, khoya and ghee with grated carrot. It is a light nutritious dessert with less fat (a minimum of 10.03% and an average of 12.19%) than many other typical South Asian desserts. Gajar halwa has a medium shelf life so it is now sometimes exported.