Picky About Desserts
I am very particular about my desserts. I dislike them to be overly sweet, as a lot of store-bought desserts are. In addition, the quality of the ingredients also matter to me. Are there chemicals and preservatives in the desserts? What’s making that jilebi look so orange? How long has the barfi been sitting on the shelf? How many miles of carbon footprint has this cake contributed to?
Instead, I prefer to make my own desserts. That way, I know that it is fresh, has clean ingredients and above all, has the perfect amount of sugar for my tastes. We know that sugar is addictive, so I want to keep a check on my family’s sugar consumption. Of course, there’s no better and easier way, than to make our own desserts, where possible. And, this Creamy Instant Pot Carrot (Gajar) Halwa fits the bill!
How to Control Sugar?
I see a lot of recipes that call for a tremendous amount of sugar. As a healthy lifestyle blogger, I shake my head. Why do we need to douse our desserts with the “white stuff”?
Here’s the secret to keeping the sugar level low in Gajar Halwa: use the freshest, juiciest of carrots that you can lay your hands on. The carrots you buy in your grocery store have been picked goodness knows how long ago.
The solution is to either grow your own carrots (they are easy to grow in the wintertime) or, better yet, find a Farmer’s Market in your area that sells fresh produce (yes! buy local!). The lesser the time the carrots sit on the shelf, the sweeter they are, thereby reducing the amount of sugar you need to use. Best of all, there is no need to peel the carrots if they are organic!
The bottom-line is that the more sugar you consume, the more you crave. Slowly reducing the amount of sugar you add to your homemade desserts will help you refine your “sugar” palate over time. Try it. It works. We’ve done it in our own home successfully.
Other Ingredients in Gajar Halwa
Ghee:
Just as important as fresh carrots, is ghee. Ghee, or clarified butter is what makes the flavors of the carrots come through. We make ghee at home from unsalted butter from pasture-raised cows. If you don’t have time to make your own ghee, purchase the freshest ghee that you can lay your hands on.
Milk:
Use whole milk to make this dessert decadent. Don’t skimp. I use raw milk, which I buy from a local co-op. These cows are raised on pasture and the milk is deliciously creamy. To find a local co-op for fresh, raw milk, click here. Vegans can try full fat nut milk to make this recipe. Although I’ve never used non-dairy milk to make halwa before, cashew, coconut or almond milk will work. Check out our easy DIY Almond Milk recipe.
Sugar:
Did you know that most of the sugar that is sold in grocery stores is not from sugarcane? Beet sugar is a popular and cheap substitute that passes off as real sugar, so be mindful and read the labels. The best option is to buy organic cane sugar where possible, to reduce pesticides.
Cardamom Powder:
Please don’t use powdered cardamom. Instead, powder it yourself!! There is nothing that comes close to the aroma of opening the green cardamom pods (use the skin when brewing your Kombucha tea!) and pounding in a mortar and pestle.
Carrot Halwa
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a compound your body changes into vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes healthy. Beta-carotene helps protect your eyes from the sun and lowers your chances of cataracts and other eye problems. Raw milk is super-rich in healthy bacteria that can benefit your digestive system. It has various enzymes that may help improve the digestion of nutrients from other foods. The fat present in raw milk has soluble vitamins including vitamin A, K and E.
If you love carrot-based recipes, check out our favorites:
- Carrot-Cucumber Kosumbari Salad
- Cabbage Carrot Masala
- Carrot Green Bean Coconut Sauté
- Zesty Carrot Garbanzo Usli
- Spicy, Tangy Carrot Sprouts Salad
Are you craving for healthy desserts? Look no further!
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Mango Rasayana
- Hesarubele (Split Mung) Payasa/Kheer
- Sweet Pongal (Huggi)
- Gasagase Payasa (Poppy Seed Kheer)
- Date Almond Boats
- Vegan Walnut-Goji Berry Fudge
- Akki-Haalu Payasa (Rice Kheer)
Do you love our posts and recipes? We’d LOVE to see your creations so click a photo and tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #healthyindian3 and please give a star (★) rating below. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram ,YouTube & Tumblr for healthy, easy and delicious recipes and lifestyle tips.
*There could be affiliate links in this blog. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Creamy Instant Pot Carrot (Gajar) Halwa
Equipment
Ingredients
Halwa Ingredients:
- 4 Cups Carrots - Grated, packed
- 2 Tablespoon Ghee - Make your own Ghee! If vegan, use substitute
- 5 Teaspoons Sugar - Cane Sugar. Use more if you have a sweet tooth or if your carrots are not juicy
- 1 Cup Milk - Whole Milk; If vegan, substitute with nut milk
- 1/2 Teaspoon Saffron
- 1 Teaspoon Cardamom - Powder (Freshly ground)
Halwa Garnishing:
- 1 Teaspoon Ghee - Make your own Ghee! If vegan, use substitute
- 1 Tablespoon Raisins
- 1 Tablespoon Cashew Nuts - Split/Broken. Skip for nut allergies
Instructions
Halwa Preparation:
- Prep the carrots by washing and cutting off the tops. There is no need to peel if the carrots are fresh and organic. Use a food processor or a manual grater to shred the carrots.
- Turn Instant Pot into Sauté mode. Add ghee or vegan substitute, allow it to warm up for 5-10 seconds. Add grated carrots. Sauté for a minute or two until you can smell the fragrance.
- Add milk or vegan substitute and mix well. Close the IP lid and cook the carrots in milk on high pressure (vent closed) for 5 minutes. Quick release, making sure not to burn your fingers. Best to lay a kitchen towel on the steam. Open the Instant Pot.
- Turn IP to Sauté mode again. Add sugar, freshly ground cardamom powder and saffron strands. Stir constantly, until the mixture thickens as the milk evaporates. At this point, the halwa should start to congeal. This usually takes 7-10 minutes. Taste, and add more sugar if needed. Make sure you are fully present, stirring frequently, to prevent the halwa from sticking to the bottom. If the heat is too high, turn off the IP for a minute and turn it on again. I do this to control the heat.
Halwa Garnishing:
- Meanwhile, in a separate dish, heat some ghee or vegan substitute. Add raisins and cashew nuts (skip if you want nut free) and sauté until the cashews turn golden brown and the raisins puff up. Add to the carrot halwa, mix well.
- Carrot halwa can be served warm or cold. Serve warm with a dollop of minimal ingredient, good quality ice cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
