Microwave Gajar (Carrot) Halwa

An easy and hassle free microwave recipe of Gajar or Carrot Halva using sweetened Condensed Milk. This 20 minutes Microwave recipe is a savior whenever we have friends over for dinner. By the time I am cooking the main course on the stove top, my dessert is getting ready simultaneously in the microwave.

Ingredients:

Carrots/Gajar (grated) - about 4 1/2 cups

Sweetened Condensed Milk - 14 oz (396 gm)

Milk - 1/4 cup

Butter or Ghee/Clarified Butter - 1 tsp

Pistachios/Pista - about 20

Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods (seeds only)

How to prepare Condensed Milk Gajar Halwa in a Microwave:

• Peel and grate the carrots. Crush the cardamom seeds in a mortar pestle to a fine powder. Finely chop the pistachios.
• Preparing Gajar Halwa in a microwave is quite easy. Keep checking after every minute or two, to avoid burning.
• Wipe a microwave safe bowl dry. Grease the bowl with butter or ghee. Add carrots and microwave for 3 minutes.  Stir after every minute.
• Now add milk to the bowl. Mix and microwave for 6 minutes. Stop the microwave and stir after every 2 minutes. If the carrots appear too dry, you can add more milk, about 1/4 cup.
• Add condensed milk to the softened carrots. Microwave for 6 - 8 minutes, stirring after every 2 minutes.
• Finally, add cardamom powder and pistachios. Save some pistachios for garnish. Microwave for another minute or two until carrot halwa looks creamy and not watery.  After cooling, the halwa will thicken a little more.
• Along with cardamom, you can also add saffron/kesar or nutmeg/jaiphal or cinnamon/dalchini. Use any nuts of your choice - Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts, Pecans. I prefer the low calorie pistachios.

Garnish with pistachios and enjoy warm or chilled Gajar Halva.