Enjoy this quick and easy instant pot recipe for Diwali or other Indian festivities. The Carrot Burfi recipe is a fun variation of the extremely popular carrot halwa.
It’s a really simple recipe in which I pressure cook grated carrots with milk and sugar, then simmer it along with milk powder and almond flour, until it thickens to a fudge-like consistency.
Why I Love This Recipe
The best part of making this Carrot Burfi is that it’s finger food, which makes this great for serving at parties. I make it often for get-togethers for Diwali, Holi, and other Indian festive occasions. Carrot Burfi can be made ahead a few days in advance and refrigerated. It’s best served at room temperature or cold.The bigger advantage for me is that these individual-sized squares work great for portion control. It lets me enjoy this delicacy without over-indulging.Adding almond flour also boosts the protein content of the dish. This recipe can be made 100% vegan and dairy-free too (instructions mentioned in ’notes’).
Let’s get started!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
You’ll just need a handful of ingredients to make this delicious fudge. Here’s what we need: Carrots: I use regular carrots, cleaned, peeled, and ends trimmed. Then I grate them in a KitchenAid food processor, or by using the large side of a box grater. Ghee: This clear Indian butter fat is the traditional choice for sauteing carrots. I use homemade ghee, but a good quality store-bought one works too. Substitute it with oil for a vegan burfi. Milk Powder: Milk powder helps achieve the iconic rich, fudgy, and creamy texture of this burfi. I use the full-fat kind, but feel free to use non-fat milk powder to save some calories! Almond Flour: Almond flour is basically blanched almonds ground to a powdery consistency. I use store-bought super-fine almond flour for this recipe. Bob’s Red Mill and Kirkland are my favorite brands. If you can’t find it, almond meal will work, but you will see brown specs throughout the burfi. Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works great here. This quantity results in a medium-sweet burfi. Add another 2 tablespoons for a sweeter fudge. Flavorings: Freshly ground cardamom is the best way to flavor this dish. I buy cardamom seeds from the Indian store or online, or simply deseed 4-6 green pods and grind them to a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder. Nuts: I use an assortment of cashews, almonds, and pistachios, but feel free to use your favorite kind. Skip for a nut-free burfi. Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Carrot Burfi
Normally, Gajar ki Burfi takes much longer on the stovetop, plus one has to stir and watch the dish the whole time. By using the Instant Pot, I cut that time in half, and I don’t have to stand by it for most of the cooking process. Saute: Turn on the instant pot to SAUTE mode, when it displays “hot”, add ghee or butter. Add chopped nuts and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes. This prevents the carrots from turning mushy later. (pic 1 & 2) Add Milk: Add warm milk and sugar, and stir well. Adding warm milk ensures that the milk won’t curdle under pressure, and, speeds up the pressure-building time significantly. (pic 3 & 4) Pressure Cook: Close the lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes on high pressure. When the cooking is done, manually release the pressure (QR) and open the lid after the pin drops. Simmer: Turn on SAUTE. Add milk powder and almond flour, and stir. Cook off the liquid, stirring every few minutes initially, and then every 30 seconds or so towards the end. (pic 5 & 6) This takes around 8-10 minutes. The actual time depends on the quantity you’re making. For this quantity, it took me 9 minutes to reach my desired consistency. Add finishing and transfer: Add cardamom powder and stir. Transfer the carrot fudge to a parchment-lined loaf pan. Using the back of a spoon, or an offset spatula, spread it evenly and smoothen the top. (pic 7 & 8) Garnish and set: Garnish with chopped nuts and gently press into the fudge. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Remove and cut into shapes of your choice. (pic 9 & 10)
Variation: How to Make Vegan Carrot Burfi
You can easily customize this recipe to make dairy-free and Vegan Carrot Burfi, by substituting:
Regular milk with Almond MilkMilk powder with Almond Flour, and, Ghee with coconut or light olive oil.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Almond flour: Use super-fine almond flour for the best results.Milk powder: Use a full-fat powder for a rich and creamy taste. Swap with non-fat milk powder to reduce calories.Consistency: Continue to cook the carrot mix until it reaches a soft-dough-like consistency.Nuts: Finely chop or slice the nuts so they can be pressed easily into the fudge. I use the classic combination of almonds, cashews, and pistachiosMake it Vegan: To make a vegan variation, use almond milk instead of dairy milk, additional almond flour instead of milk powder, and coconut or olive oil instead of ghee.
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This recipe has been recently updated with step-by-step instructions and photos.
