A delicious halwa (dessert) that you can make from the most unlikely ingredient- Beetroot. This Beetroot Halwa has been inspired by the popular Gajar ka halwa dish.
You all must have eaten Gajar ka halwa before, for those who haven’t, Gajar ka halwa also known as Gajrela or Carrot Halwa is a popular Indian dessert/ pudding made typically from grated carrots, milk, khoya (evaporated milk solids) and sugar. This dessert is made almost in every household all over India. It is made on most auspicious occasions and festivals like Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Eid or Rakhshabandhan. Not just on festivals but it is one party dessert that everyone enjoys.
Now here is a delicious dessert that you can make from the most unlikely ingredient- Beetroot. This Beetroot Halwa or Beetroot dessert/ pudding has been inspired by the popular Gajar ka halwa dish, made in the same way except I am using grated beetroot here instead of grated carrots. Usually, these deep red roots are eaten boiled or combined with any salad or vegetable, but our recipe will transform this into a dessert that will amaze everyone. The vibrant red color adds a natural hue to your dessert, plus Instant Pot lets you make this in no time.
This beetroot halwa is made from beetroot, mawa (Khoya – dried milk solids), milk, sugar, and some nuts.
The gentle art of gastronomy is a friendly one. It hurdles the language barrier, makes friends among civilized people and warms the heart.
WHY IS THIS BEETROOT HALWA GOOD FOR YOU?
Beetroot is supposed to have several therapeutic qualities. It is known to be a great source of nutrient, fiber and vitamin c. It may also lower blood pressure and improve athletic performance. Apart from its medicinal benefits, beetroot has great flavor and is very versatile. It blends in really well with milk and sugar to give this really delicious dessert. It is a great way to introduce this to the kids that might otherwise fuss about eating beets.
WHY MAKE BEETROOT HALWA IN THE INSTANT POT AND WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT THIS RECIPE?
Instant pot makes it so easy to make Beetroot Halwa. Once you have tried it in the Instant Pot, you will never go the stovetop way. You will love this perfectly cooked, no fail Beetroot Halwa! Here is why.
- Typically making halwa on the stove top takes long hours as you have to keep sauteeing it in the Saute pan until all the moisture evaporates, plus beetroot takes a long time to break down and cook on the stove top. In the Instant Pot, it is a breeze to make it as it easily breaks down under pressure.
- No more monitoring the dish in front of the stove top, Instant Pot makes it quite hands-free.
- Making the halwa under pressure in the Instant pot blends all the flavors well and traps all juices in beetroot making it irresistibly delicious
- Total end to end time is only 25 minutes. Unbelievable right?
This beetroot halwa is our family’s all-time favorite must have once a week, plus when it comes out this perfect in the Magic Pot why not?
It’s our own family recipe now shared with you, hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BEETROOT HALWA – STEP BY STEP RECIPE
Ingredients:
To make beetroot halwa you will need 3 large beetroots peeled and grated. You can use a hand-held grater or a food processor to grate the beets. You will also need ghee, whole milk, sugar, khoya (evaporated milk solids) and some nuts.
Step1: Instruction for Instant Pot:
Plug in the Instant Pot and remove the lid. Select Sauté/Browning on your Instant Pot/ Pressure Cooker and adjust to the highest setting. Allow the cooking pot to fully heat.
Step2: Saute Grated Beets:
Add ghee to the Instant pot/ Pressure cooker once it says “Hot” on the screen. Add grated beetroot and sauté continuously, for five minutes. This helps in giving a vibrant red color to the beetroot halwa.
Step3: Add Milk and sugar
Add milk and sugar to the beetroot. Combine everything.
Step4: Set the Instant pot/ Pressure Cooker:
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it, switch the “Steam release handle” to Sealing/Close. Now press the “Pressure cook/Manual” function on the control panel. Adjust the time using the “+ or -” key and select 4 minutes of cooking time. Select the “High Pressure” setting. Once you select the time, wait till it says “ON” on the screen. Now the pressure will build and once the pressure builds, the timer will start counting down from 4 minutes to 0 minutes. Once the timer reaches 0, the Instant Pot will automatically switch to “Keep Warm”. Now do the “Quick Pressure Release” (QPR). The pressure will release rapidly and in a minute or two, you will be able to open the lid
Step5: Add Khoya:
Press the cancel button on Instant pot to come out of the warm mode, then press the Sauté button. Now add khoya/ mawa. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Continue to cook until the excess liquid evaporates.
Step6: Add Raisins and nuts:
Now add cardamom powder, raisins, cashew nuts, and almonds and continue to cook for two more minutes. After two minutes press the cancel button on Instant Pot to switch it off. Your beetroot halwa is ready to be served.
Step6: Serve
Put the beetroot halwa in a serving dish. Garnish with some chopped nuts if desired. You can serve the beetroot halwa hot with ice-cream or warm by itself.
Check out the video:
Instant Pot Beetroot Halwa Dessert
Ingredients
- 3 large beetroot, peeled and grated (about 4 cups)
- 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated khoya (mawa, khoa or evaporated milk solids) or 100 grams khoya
- 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder (2 green elaichi seeds powdered in mortar-pestle)
- 1 tbsp golden raisins (kishmish)
- 5 to 6 number cashew nuts chopped (kaju)
- 5 to 6 number almonds, blanched and chopped (badam)
Instructions
- Step1: Instruction for Instant Pot:Plug in the Instant Pot and remove the lid. Select Sauté/Browning on your Instant Pot/ Pressure Cooker and adjust to the highest setting. Allow the cooking pot to fully heat.Step2: Saute Grated Beets:Add ghee to the Instant pot/ Pressure cooker once it says “Hot” on the screen. Add grated beetroot and sauté continuously, for five minutes. This helps in giving a vibrant red color to the beetroot halwa.Step3: Add Milk and sugar Add milk and sugar to the beetroot. Combine everything. Step4: Set the Instant pot/ Pressure Cooker:Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it, switch the “Steam release handle” to Sealing/Close. Now press the “Pressure cook/Manual” function on the control panel. Adjust the time using the “+ or -” key and select 4 minutes of cooking time. Select the “High Pressure” setting. Once you select the time, wait till it says “ON” on the screen. Now the pressure will build and once the pressure builds, the timer will start counting down from 4 minutes to 0 minutes. Once the timer reaches 0, the Instant Pot will automatically switch to “Keep Warm”. Now do the “Quick Pressure Release” (QPR). The pressure will release rapidly and in a minute or two, you will be able to open the lidStep5: Add Khoya: Press the cancel button on Instant pot to come out of the warm mode, then press the Sauté button. Now add khoya/ mawa. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Continue to cook until the excess liquid evaporates.Step6: Add Raisins and nuts:Now add cardamom powder, raisins, cashew nuts, and almonds and continue to cook for two more minutes. After two minutes press the cancel button on Instant Pot to switch it off. Your beetroot halwa is ready to be served.Step6: ServePut the beetroot halwa in a serving dish. Garnish with some chopped nuts if desired. You can serve the beetroot halwa hot with ice-cream or warm by itself.
Notes
•Adding nuts is optional.
•You can even freeze beetroot halwa. Just re-heat it before serving
•You can adjust the sugar in the recipe as per your taste.
•Khoya is nothing but dried evaporated milk solids or reduced milk. You can find it in any Indian store in the freezer section next to paneer(Indian cottage cheese)
•You can double, triple or cut this recipe down to half. If you change the quantity, the pressure cooking time in the Instant pot does not change. Although if you double or triple the recipe, you might have to saute for a little longer for the liquid to evaporate. •The time difference for a beetroot halwa cooked in an electric Instant pot which is 11 psi vs another electric pressure cooker which is 13 to 15 psi is quite negligent so you may not need to change the timings if you are replacing Instant Pot with another electric pressure cooker. For a traditional stovetop pressure cooker, since there is higher pressure, the halwa cooked will cook faster. If you are adapting for a traditional stovetop pressure cooker then reduce the time, about 5 minutes of the total cooking time.
