Carrot Kheer: Indian Dessert Recipe
Cooking is one of my passions. I like to make nutritious and tasty foods at home without using preservatives and artificial colors.
Carrot kheer (also called carrot payasam)
Easy and Healthy Dessert
For a smooth, silky, colorful, and healthy dessert, look no further than carrot kheer (also called carrot payasam). It's a gorgeous natural color, and it's light on the stomach, too.
The main ingredients are milk, carrot, and sugar (or jaggery). Milk is a source of many nutrients, including vitamin D, calcium, and protein. Carrots can be helpful in reducing cholesterol levels. Use jaggery instead of sugar for a healthier option.
Carrot kheer is very quick and easy to make—it took me no more than about 20 minutes. Serve this creamy and silky dessert warm or cold, and garnish with ghee-roasted cashew nuts and raisins. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Cook Time
| Prep time | Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
|---|---|---|---|
5 min | 10 min | 15 min | 4 cups |
Ingredients
For the kheer:
- 1 heaped cup grated carrot
- 1 cup thick milk
- 4 tablespoons jaggery or sugar
- 3 or 4 cardamom pods, powdered
- a few saffron strands, soaked in warm milk for 15 minutes (optional)
For garnishing:
- a few cashew nuts (broken)
- a few raisins
- 2 teaspoons ghee
Instructions
- Wash the carrots and peel them. Grate them with a fine grater and set aside. If using saffron, soak it in warm milk for 15 minutes.
- Add milk to a saucepan and boil until it reduces to become 3/4 of its original volume.
- Heat the ghee in a deep-bottomed pan. Add the broken cashews, keeping the heat low.
- Saute until the cashews become golden brown. Add raisins and saute with the cashews for 2-3 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a plate.
- Add grated carrots to the same pan and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add the milk that you have boiled and mix well.
- Add sugar or jaggery powder. I used jaggery because it's the healthier option. Keeping the heat at medium, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the carrot cook completely. By this time, the mixture should become semi-solid.
- Add the cardamom powder and optional saffron. Continue to simmer for 1 minute. Give a nice mix. Turn off the heat.
- Serve warm or cold. Garnish with a few ghee-roasted cashew nuts and raisins. Enjoy!
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Photo Guide
Step one: Wash and peel carrots. Keep the milk ready.
Step two: Add the milk to a saucepan. Boil until it reduces to three-quarters of the original volume.
Grate the carrots.
Step three: Heat the ghee in a deep-bottomed pan. Keep it on medium heat. Add cashew nuts. Saute until they turn golden brown. Add raisins and continue to saute for 2-3 seconds. Transfer to a plate.
Step four: Add grated carrots to the same pan.
Saute for 5-6 minutes.
Step five: Add boiled milk, sugar (or jaggery), and powdered cardamom. I used jaggery in this recipe because it is a healthier option. Mix well and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots cook completely. Add optional saffron and continue to cook for a minute.
Turn off the heat. Mix well. Your favorite carrot kheer (carrot payasam) is ready to serve!
Garnish with ghee-roasted cashew nuts and raisins. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy the taste!
