Gajrela recipe is the sweetest Pakistani and Indian Carrot Pudding. Easy to prepare with grated carrots, ghee, milk, khoya, and sugar. It's creamy like kheer filled with the sweetness of red carrots that makes a perfect taste to serve as a cold or hot party dessert or sweet dish.
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Many people get confused with Gajrela and Gajar ka Halwa as both are prepared with grated carrots and have similar ingredients but the way of making them is different. Gajar halwa is dry while the gajrela has a creamy smooth texture.
Gajrela recipe Pakistani and Indian style both have a rich and creamy taste like kheer and I love to make it with seasonal winter Pakistani carrots. One of the most desirable Pakistani sweet dish of Eid and Ramadan iftar.
What is Gajrela?
Gajrela is the winter special Indian carrot dessert pudding prepared with grated seasonal red carrots also called desi gajar. Pakistani and Indian carrots have a special taste that can not be matured with orange carrots.
Gajrela recipe with khoya can easily be prepared with few ingredients using ghee, milk, sugar, and khoya that can be replaced with milk powder or condensed milk. I prefer to use khoya as it enhances the creamy taste and smooth texture. If you don't have khoya/mawa then substitute it with milk powder or condensed milk or simply leave it. Full-fat milk is enough to make a perfect creamy blend of carrots.
In Indian desserts, kheer or phirni is the most desirable sweet dish but in winter everyone loves to have gajrela or gajar ka halwa. What do you like most? I will be happy if you share in the comment section.
What's Special?
Here are the reasons that make it a special gajrela recipe:
- It's simple, quick, and fast to prepare!
- Good for health
- Gives the best option to eat carrots.
- Due to the creamy taste, everyone loves it!
- Serve hot and cold (in both ways)
- Use minimal ingredients to make a perfect dessert taste.
Gajrela Vs. Carrot Halwa Vs. Carrot Kheer
Gajrela is the creamiest version of carrot dessert. It's a form of carrot pudding.
Carrot halwa is a dry form of dessert.
Carrot kheer is prepared with the addition of soaked and ground rice simmered with milk and sugar.
Ingredients
Red Carrots: Used grated form of Pakistani red carrots.
Clarified butter (Ghee): Used to saute the carrots.
Green Cardamom: this will add a warm and minty taste of green cardamom with a delectable aroma.
Milk: Used full-fat milk.
Sugar: White granulated or powdered sugar can be used.
Khoya/Mawa: Will add a creamy texture and enhance the taste.
How to Make Gajrela at Home
Preparation of Carrots:
First, peel the carrot's upper skin to get a smooth texture of carrots. Wash it and then grate it with the grater. Don't chop, or use a grinder. Shredded carrots will make a perfect texture of this dessert. Never wash carrots after grating.
Cooking:
In a heated pan, add clarified butter (ghee) and let it melt then add green cardamom seeds and let it pop for few seconds on low heat.
Then add grated carrots and saute for few minutes on medium to low heat.
Add milk, and give it a good mix. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
After, give it a good mix using spoon. Now it will start to transform into a creamy form. Add sugar and khoya and mix it well on low heat. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
As it starts to show a thicker texture, pour it into the bowls and garnish with thin almonds slices.
You can serve this carrot pudding (gajar ka gajrela) both hot (garam) and cold.
Gajrela Recipe Video
Quick Tips
- Always peel the carrots before grating.
- After peeling, wash the carrots and keep it on a strainer to release excess water.
- Grate the carrots with a grater.
- Use full-fat milk if you don't want to use khoya.
- You can replace the khoya with milk powder or condensed milk. Khoya is added to make a creamy and smooth texture.
- Always simmer the carrots on medium to low heat.
- Use a nonstick pan to avoid sticking on the pan bottom otherwise, it will leave a burnt taste.
- Green cardamom powder can be used in place of cardamom seeds.
Storage Suggestion
Cover the serving dish or bowl with a plastic cling sheet and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. If you feel that it's getting thick and add little milk and reheat on the stovetop to make it fresh.
In cozy winter nights, I always love to serve garam gajrela (lukewarm) with homemade Kashmiri Tea. How do you like it? Share in the comment section.
Q & A
Well, it depends on the way of making it. Many people in Pakistan make it like kheer but the standard method is to make look like carrot pudding which is different from gajar ka halwa which looks dry compared with gajrela.
So in Pakistan and India, the traditional method to make gajrela is the same.
Gajrela kheer prepares with the addition of soaked ground rice. If you add it with milk then it turned to kheer. This recipe reflects the idea of pudding.
You can replace khoya with condensed milk, or simply substitute with milk powder to create a creamy and smooth texture.
Yes, you can! Turn on saute mode and add ghee, and cardamom seeds and let it pop for a few seconds then add grated carrots and saute for few minutes until it starts to change color. Then add milk and pressure cook for 5 minutes. After, give it a good mix. Again, click on Saute and add sugar and khoya and give it a good mix. Cook and stir until the sugar and khoya blend with carrots. Topped with almonds and serve.
Other desserts to try:
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Gajrela Recipe (Indian Carrot Pudding)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Clarified butter (ghee)
- 15 Green Cardamom Seeds
- 1 glass Milk
- 1.5 tablespoon Sugar
- ½ cup Khoya
- Almonds For topping
Instructions
Preparation of Carrots
- First, peel the carrot's upper skin to get a smooth version of gajrela. Wash it and then grate it with the grater. Don't chop, or use a grinder. Shredded carrots will make a perfect texture of this dessert. Never wash carrots after grating.
Cooking
- In a heated pan, add clarified butter (ghee) and let it melt then add green cardamom seeds and let it pop for few seconds on low heat. Then add grated carrots and saute for few minutes on medium to low heat.
- Add milk, give it a good mix. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
- After, give it a good mix using spoon. Now it will start to transform into creamy form. Add sugar and khoya and mix it well on low heat. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
- As the gajrela starts to show a thicker texture, pour it into the bowls and garnish with thin almonds slices.
Video
Notes
- Always peel the carrots before grating.
- After peeling, wash the carrots and keep it on a strainer to release excess water.
- Grate the carrots with a grater.
- Use full-fat milk if you don't want to use khoya. You can replace the khoya with milk powder or condensed milk. Khoya is added to make a creamy and smooth version of gajrela.
- Always simmer the carrots on medium to low heat.
- Use a nonstick pan to avoid sticking on the pan bottom otherwise, it will leave a burnt taste.
- Green cardamom powder can be used in place of cardamom seeds.
Sham
Love Gajrela 😍