If you juice carrots a few times a week, the pulp really adds up. Finding a good use for all that excess carrot-y goodness is always a challenge, and it’s just too nutritious to just throw in the compost.
So this week, use up that pulp by making some Carrot Halwa!
Carrot Halwa is also known as Gajar Halwa or gajrala, and is a traditional Indian dessert made with carrots and full-fat milk or coconut milk. This Carrot Halwa recipe tastes like a sweet, spicy carrot pudding, and it is delicious warm or cold. It’s so good, I have trouble eating just one piece!
Traditionally, halwa is garnished with roasted cashews or pistachios, but you could also use golden raisins, sliced almonds or even currants, if you prefer. Enjoy with a cup of masala chai!
Carrot Halwa
Carrot Halwa, or Gajar Halwa, is made with carrots and full-fat milk or coconut milk. With cardamom and pistachios, it tastes like a deliciously sweet, spicy carrot pudding.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups carrots, finely shredded (squeeze out excess water OR use carrot pulp from a juicer)
- 2 cups coconut milk, or goat or cow’s milk
- 3 Tbsps. virgin coconut oil, or unsalted butter, more if using carrot pulp
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar, Rapadura OR 4 Tbsp raw honey
- 1/2-1 tsp. cardamom, to taste
- 1/4 cup pistachios, almonds or cashews, coarsely chopped or processed into small pieces
Instructions
- Boil the milk on medium-high heat in a non-stick pan until it is reduced to about to 1 cup. Stir often to ensure the milk does not burn in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
- Melt the butter or coconut oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
- Add the shredded, squeezed carrots or carrot pulp and stir-fry for about seven to eight minutes. (This will take less time if you are using carrot pulp)
- Carrots should be tender and slightly changed in color.
- Add the milk and cook until the milk is fully incorporated into the carrots. This will take about ten minutes.
- Next add the sugar or honey and cardamom powder and stir-fry for another three to four minutes until the halwa starts to pull away from the side of the frying pan.
- Serve warm and garnish with pistachio or cashew nuts OR spread flat into a pan until 3/4 inch thick and top with nuts. After the halwa cools, cut into squares.
- Gajar Halwa can be refrigerated for up to one week and kept in the freezer for up to two months.
Nutrition
Calories: 188kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 35mgPotassium: 237mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 4765IUVitamin C: 2.4mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1.9mg
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