Name: Vegan Gajar Ka Halwa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cup Carrot, peeled and finely grated; 1¼ cup Almond Milk, unsweetened; 1½ tbsp Coconut Oil, virgin cold-pressed, replaces ghee; ¼ cup Sugar, or jaggery powder; 1 tbsp Almond Butter, optional, provides 'khoya' like richness; ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom; 1 tbsp Cashews, chopped; ½ tbsp Raisins, kishmish

1 hr 10 mintotal

55 min hands-on15 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: None

Add to your week

Ingredients

2 cupCarrotpeeled and finely grated
1¼ cupAlmond Milkunsweetened
1½ tbspCoconut Oilvirgin cold-pressed, replaces ghee
¼ cupSugaror jaggery powder
1 tbspAlmond Butteroptional, provides 'khoya' like richness
¼ tspGround Cardamom
1 tbspCashewschopped
½ tbspRaisinskishmish

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Includes prep-ahead time.

Method

Heat coconut oil and sauté the grated carrots for 10 minutes until they soften and darken.
10 min
Add almond milk and bring to a simmer.
Cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently until the milk reduces.
20–25 min
Introduce sugar and almond butter once the mixture appears dry.
Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes until the moisture evaporates and the Halwa achieves a glossy finish.
5–10 min
Add cashews, raisins, and cardamom powder before serving piping hot.

How to tell it's done

Caramelized carrot strands bound in a creamy, nutty reduction.

Getting it right

Tip

Almond butter mimics the mouthfeel of Mawa perfectly in plant-based recipes.

What to serve it with

A winter classic, best served warm.

Common mistakes

The halwa stays wet however long you cook it.: Add the sugar only once the carrots and milk have already reduced. Sugar releases more liquid, so adding it early puts you back where you started.
The carrots taste raw under the sweetness.: Give them the full ten minutes in the oil before any liquid goes in. That first sauté is where the carrot flavour deepens; skipping it leaves a halwa that tastes of sweetened milk.

Substitutions

Oat or cashew milk works in place of almond milk and gives a slightly richer result.
Cashew butter or tahini can replace the almond butter; both thicken the halwa the same way.

Storing and reheating

Keeps five days in the fridge and freezes for two months. Reheat in a pan with a splash of plant milk rather than a microwave, which dries the edges. It sets firm when cold, which is normal.

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