Bangladeshi cuisine and Bangladeshi culture are greatly influenced by sweet foods. Any celebration or ceremony in Bangladesh would be lacking without sweets. Eating sweets with loved ones is a traditional way in Bangladesh to celebrate someone’s accomplishment or any good news. Even in marriage ceremonies, we love to serve some incredibly delicious sweets and desserts.

With handmade sweet dishes, every celebration becomes happier and more memorable for us Bengalis. And when it comes to homemade sweets, halua is the first thing that comes to our minds.

Carrot halua, known as “Gajor er halua” in Bengali, is a sweet dish that is made with red carrots which are easily available in Bangladesh. While they are mainly winter crops, you get them in the markets almost all year round.

In the preparation of carrot halua, simmer grated carrots are mixed along with sugar, chopped Nuts (Cashews/Almonds/Pistachios), ghee, cardamom, and milk. Nuts are basically used for garnishing which we use just before serving. You can also use it by mixing it with the whole carrot halua. This delectable dessert is typically consumed after lunch or supper, or as nighttime munchies. It is generally served warm to bring out its best taste.

I always get nostalgic when I talk about this rich, flavorful, and visually appealing carrot halua dish. This decadent dessert is one of my favorites because I grew up eating it. So, when I hear the name “gajor er halua”, I get nostalgic and memorize countless happy memories.

My dad used to bring home red carrots throughout the winter from the vegetable market when I was a kid, and those memories are still fresh in my mind. Dad used to sit with my brother and me as we grated carrots for halua. I was the family’s youngest member. Definitely, I always grated the fewest amount of carrots! Then my mother would take a huge korai (pan) and make a big quantity of carrot halua. My mother used to make it in an old-fashioned manner. Thus, making the carrot halua recipe used to take hours. The delicious aroma of homemade ghee, milk, and cardamom powder used to fill the entire home while it had been cooking, filling the entire house with its mesmerizing aroma. My mom used to store the nuts in a jar for garnishing the halua and I used to steal those nuts and eat them. Such nostalgia!

Indeed, carrot halua or “gajor er halua” is a decadent dessert that is perfect for spreading joy, sweetness, warmth, comfort, and joy. It is one of the most anticipated winter desserts which is prepared in almost every house in Bangladesh, at least once a year when fresh carrots are in the market.

Carrot halua is an almost must-have dish in “Shab-e-Barat” too. As our moms usually make different kinds of halua, carrot halua also takes place in public demand!

While carrot halua is an unbelievably delicious dessert, they are high in nutrition values too. Carrots are high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as fiber. Also, carrots have beta carotenes which is a type of Vitamin A, and they are more easily absorbed by the body when they are cooked. The calcium and protein content of milk increases carrot halua’s nutritional value further. Additionally, milk increases bone density and guards against the osteoporosis symptom known as “porous bone” problem. Our immune system is bolstered by this antioxidant, which also aids in the battle against inflammation and infections.

My mom taught me the cooking process for this incredibly yummy dessert, and today I’m going to share the wisdom with you people! Let’s go to the recipe now, hopefully you all will try it at home and gonna love it.

Place the carrot halua on a serving platter and garnish with Cashew nuts. Serve this dessert hot or warm for the best taste.

Carrot halua may be kept in the fridge for a week and served cold as well. But when it’s warm, it tastes the best. It is best to warm it in the microwave before serving. However, it wouldn’t be a smart thing to reheat it by placing it directly on the stove. The flavor of the food may be harmed in that way.

Reheating Tip: Set the Gajar Ka halua container over boiling water and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Without affecting the flavor, it warms the halua.