Making Mithai With Carrots
Carrots naturally contain a lot of moisture, and once you know how to cook them properly for shaped sweets like burfi or gajar ladoo, the rest becomes much easier. Cooking them low and slow is key—not only to bring out their natural sweetness but also to soften them evenly, so they hold their shape without becoming soggy or overly dry. If the carrots aren’t cooked long enough or too much moisture remains, the burfi may not set properly.
While some people finely chop carrots for burfi, grating works just as well. As the grated carrots soften during sautéing, the shreds naturally break down and come together, forming a cohesive mixture that holds its shape.
Another important tip for perfect gajar burfi is to avoid using chopped nuts. Unlike burfis made with mawa or milk powder, where chopped nuts are fine, gajar burfi benefits from ground nuts. Combined with khoya (mawa), the ground nuts act as a natural binder, helping the burfi set firmly and maintain its shape.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat up ghee in a wide, heavy pan or kadai (10 inch or 12 inch).Add the carrots. Saute the ghee and carrots for 3-4 minutes on low medium heat to get them started. As the carrots warm up, you will see them steaming.
- Next, add the sugar and milk to the carrots. Mix well and cover the pan
- Cook the carrots on low heat with milk and sugar until they feel soft and mushy under the spatula and all the liquid in the pan has evaporated. Takes about 12-15 minutes.
- Next, add the ground nuts powder and dessicated coconut to the softened carrot mixture.
5. Immediately, the nuts will absorb moisture and you will notice that the carrot mixture will thicken.
6. Next, add the milk powder, green cardamom powder and more ghee to the burfi mixture.
7. Combine everything very well and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat while stirring. The burfi mixture will clump around the spatula and look glossy. Its ready to be set.
8.Transfer the burfi mixture to a greased ⅛ sheet or any tray that you prefer. Using a flat spaluta, smoothen the carrot mixture with even thickness. Sprinkle nuts of chocie on top. You can set it as thick or thin as desired. Let set for 4-6 hours (refrigerated if it’s warm weather).
Once set, cut the burfi into 12-16 squares. Using a flat spatula, lift the burfi pieces and transfer to a serving plate. This gajar burfi keeps well for 5-6 days refrigerated. You can freeze it too.
Tanvi’s Tips
- When the burfi mixture is ready, it will clump around the spatula into a soft ball shape. Watch the video to get an idea. Another way is to roll the burfi mixture into a small ball, you should be able to form a neat ball without sticking. Your fingers will look shiny from ghee after rolling.
- If desired, you can cook the carrot+sugar+milk mixture in pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. This cooks the carrots quickly and saves you time. Transfer the cooked carrots to a pan and then follow rest of the recipe as written.
Carrot Burfi (Gajar Pak Recipe)
Gahar Burfi is a rich traditional Indian sweet made with fresh carrots, milk, sugar, nuts and pure ghee. Known for its delicious taste and festive appeal, it is perfect for celebrations, gifting, and special occasions.
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Ingredients
- 500 g carrots grated, measured after grating
- 4 tablespoon ghee divided, measure after melting
- 400 ml whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar can be reduced to ½ cup if desired
- 2 tablespoon ground almonds
- 2 tablespoon ground cashew nut
- 2 tablespoon ground pistachios
- ½ cup dessicated coconut unsweetened
- ⅓ cup milk powder I use Nido brand whole milk powder
- ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder
Instructions
- Heat up 2 tablespoon ghee in a wide, heavy pan or kadai that is about ten or twelve inches wide. Add the grated carrots and gently sauté them in the ghee for 3-4 minutes while stirring frequently on low to medium heat. As the carrots warm up, you will notice steam rising from the pan.
- Add the sugar and milk to the carrots and mix everything well. Let milk warm up and sugar will melt too. When the mixture is bubbling, cover the pan and let the carrots cook on low heat. Stir occasionally. Cook until the carrots become very soft and mash easily under the spatula and all the liquid has dried up. This usually takes about 12-15 minutes.
- Once the carrots are soft, add all the ground nuts and desiccated coconut. Stir immediately. The nuts will soak up the remaining moisture and the mixture will start to thicken.Keep the heat on low.
- Next, add the milk powder, green cardamom powder, and remaining ghee. Mix everything thoroughly and continue cooking on low heat for another two to three minutes while stirring. The burfi mixture will come together, cling to the spatula, and develop a glossy look. At this point, it is ready to set.Please see video or pictures in post to get a clearer idea.
- Transfer the burfi mixture to a greased sheet pan or any tray you like. Use a flat spatula to spread it evenly to your preferred thickness. Sprinkle chopped nuts of your choice on top. Let it set for four to six hours until ghee hardens slightly. If the weather is warm or if needed, you can refrigerate it.
- Once fully set, cut the burfi into sixteen squares. Gently lift each piece with a flat spatula and place them on a serving plate. This gajar burfi stays fresh in the refrigerator for five to six days and can also be frozen for longer storage.
