For most of America, the only way carrots end up in dessert is in carrot cake, and that’s not wrong. A good carrot cake is a thing of beauty.

This recipe is a little different – it’s all carrots and no cake.

You can skip the sugar, reduce the butter, throw in a little pepper or some savory spices and end up with a healthy side dish instead of a dessert. But if you’ve never thought of a root vegetable as dessert fare, then follow the recipe as is, and open yourself up to a whole new world – and throw a nod of gratitude to India for showing the world how to do vegetarian food right.

Carrot Halwa

BurntPorkChops

Grate carrots, cook them in milk until most of the milk evaporates, add the sugar, butter, spices, dried fruit and nuts. Enjoy as a side dish or a dessert.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Course Dessert, Entree, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

4 – 4 1/2 c grated carrots About 5 large carrots
4 c full fat organic milk or any type of milk, I used a mixture of whole milk and macadamia nut milk
4 T ghee or butter use less or none if you want
1/4 c sugar optional, makes it sweeter
5 – 6 whole green cardamom split open and crushed, or 1/4 – 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
10 – 12 whole cashews or almonds, pistachios, whatever nuts you have on hand
2 T golden raisins or dried cranberries, whatever sweet dried fruit you have on hand
1 pinch saffron optional

Instructions

Peel and grate carrots until you have about 4 1/2 cups grated carrots.
In a medium pot with a thick bottom, add the grated carrots and milk. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat.
Simmer until the milk is reduced by 75%. Stir at regular intervals.
When the milk is reduced by 75%, add the sugar, ghee or butter, and cardamom.
Stir well and continue to cook until the rest of the milk is evaporated.
Add the dried fruit, nuts, and saffron and stir. Keep on the heat until everything is heated through. (About 3 minutes.)
Serve hot or cold, garnish with additional nuts and dried fruit as you like.