Carrot Kheer- Instant Pot & Stovetop

Step by step guide to make carrot kheer, an easy Indian style pudding with carrots and nuts. This creamy and rich dessert is a crowd-pleaser and can easily be doubled. Just what we all need for the festivities. Referred to as Carrot Payasam in Tamil, this beautiful dessert can be enjoyed warm or chilled.

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Kheer, the Indian dessert equivalent of pudding, is an absolute-must in every festive meal. I m always looking for easy and quick Kheer recipes that do not involve hours of stirring. To be honest, I like to think of this kheer as dessert soup since its more on the thinner side. Unlike pudding which is semi-solid, the texture of this carrot kheer is thinner and on the watery side. Also, does anything like dessert soup exist? Never mind. I have one for you. And this carrot kheer aka Gajar ki Kheer just hits the mark in more ways than one.

5 reasons to make this kheer

• Naturally grain-free and gluten-free dessert.
• Can be doubled or scaled up easily.
• Effortless and takes very little time to put together.
• A great way to include carrots in your kids’ diet.
• Can be enjoyed warm or chilled.

Kheer or Payasam?

First things first. I need to address this very important debate. So what is the difference, you may ask. Well, Kheer is what we call it in northern parts of India. In South India, we have different names for Kheer. Kerala people call desserts similar to this as Pradhaman. In Tamil Nadu, we call this Payasam. It is Paysa in Kannada. 

Ingredients

Carrots 

Choose carrots that are sweet for this recipe. Always peel your carrots for this kheer. 

Dairy

We will be using just full fat milk and condensed milk. Condensed milk adds a creamy richness to any dessert and it works perfectly with carrots. Since we will be using condensed milk, we are not going to add any sugar. 

Aromatics

We prefer cardamom to be the dominant flavor in our Gajar Ki Kheer. You may also add saffron and some rose water if you like the flavors.

Ghee

Use ghee for kheer that literally tastes like heaven. Ghee has a unique nutty flavor that elevates any ordinary dish. 

Nuts 

Kheer is incomplete without nuts and raisins. I have just used cashews, almonds and raisins as a garnish. Unsalted pistachios and walnuts work well too.

Variations

Using this as base, we can create more versions of Gajar Kheer too.

1. You can add saffron strands to the carrots and milk while boiling for a beautiful delicate saffron flavor.
2. Add 1/4 cup roasted vermicelli along with the carrots and milk to make carrot semiya payasam.
3. Try adding 1/2 cup crushed ghee roasted Makhana (foxnuts) or 2 tbsp rinsed quinoa while pressure cooking carrots for a healthier version.

Vegan Carrot Kheer

I intend to share this as a whole new recipe but let me just share a quick version for vegan carrot Payasam. Replace the whole milk with almond milk while pressure cooking the carrots. Add raw cane sugar instead of the condensed milk. Use 1 cup cashew cream instead to thicken the carrots. Skip the ghee entirely and garnish with raw nuts. Tastes just as delicious when served chilled.

Carrot kheer with jaggery or coconut milk do not work well for some reason. I find that the jaggery simply does not mix well with the flavors of carrot.

Method

Instant Pot Carrot Ki Kheer

Roasting cashews and raisins

Insert the inner pot into the IP. Turn on SAUTE MODE- NORMAL- 5 mins. Wait for the display to read HOT. When the display reads HOT, add the cashews and saute till they begin to brown.

As soon as the cashews begin to brown, add the raisins and saute till raisins are plump. This happens very quickly. So do not leave them unattended. Once cashews and raisins are fried, drain and set aside.

Pressure cooking carrots

To the inner pot, add cardamom and saute for 10 secs. Now, add the peeled and chopped carrots, whole milk and 1 cup water.

We add water because this helps in preventing the milk fat settling down to the bottom. You can use the same technique to boil milk on stovetop. Whenever you boil milk on stovetop, wash the sauce pan before adding the milk and add 1 tbsp milk for every 4 cups milk.

Mix well. Wait for the milk to begin boiling. Once it begins to boil, press CANCEL.

Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the lid. Now turn the valve to SEALING. Now press the PRESSURE COOK button- HIGH PRESSURE- 5 minutes.

Allow the cooking cycle to complete. When done, wait for natural pressure release.  Once pressure releases naturally, press CANCEL and open the lid. 

Blending 

Now, using an immersion blender, blend the carrots and milk to a smooth puree. Turn on SAUTE MODE- NORMAL- 7 MINUTES. Add condensed milk and stir to combine. Tip in the cashews and raisins. Mix well. Simmer till the SAUTE CYCLE completes. Keep stirring in between to avoid the BURN signal or the kheer sticking to the bottom.

Our creamy carrot kheer is ready.

Carrot Payasam / Gajar Kheer Stovetop Method

First, let us fry the cashews and raisins. To a 3 liter pressure cooker, add ghee and heat it up. Add the cashews and fry them till they begin to brown. When cashews begin to brown, immediately tip in the raisins and fry till raisins are plump. Drain and set aside.

To the cooker, add chopped carrots and 1 cup water. Pressure cook the carrots for 2 whistles. Wait for the pressure to release naturally. When pressure releases, open the lid and blend the carrots to a smooth paste using an immersion blender.

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee. Add the cardamom powder and the carrot paste and cook well stirring every now and then to avoid burning. The carrots must be cooked this way to get rid of the raw smell. This roughly takes about 5 mins. 

Now, add boiled milk and mix well. Simmer for 2 to 3 mins on medium flame. When done, add the condensed milk and mix well.

Simmer for 4 to 5 mins on medium flame. Once done, remove from fire and set aside.
Serve the kheer warm or chilled. Personally, I love carrot kheer chilled.

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Recipe Card

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5 from 1 vote

Carrot Kheer

Delicious Indian style carrot pudding made in the Instant Pot.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time17 minutes mins

Natural pressure release time15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Servings: 6

Calories: 299kcal

Ingredients

• 1.25 tbsp ghee
• 12 whole cashews halved
• 2.5 tbsp raisins
• 5 green cardamom pods crushed
• 350 grams peeled and chopped carrots
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

Instant Pot Carrot Ki Kheer

Roasting cashews and raisins

• Insert the inner pot into the IP.
• Turn on SAUTE MODE- NORMAL- 5 mins.
• Wait for the display to read HOT.
• When the display reads HOT, add the cashews and saute till they begin to brown.
• As soon as the cashews begin to brown, add the raisins and saute till raisins are plump.
• Once cashews and raisins are fried, drain and set aside.

Pressure cooking carrots

• To the inner pot, add cardamom and saute for 10 secs.
• Now, add the peeled and chopped carrots, whole milk and 1 cup water.
• Mix well. Wait for the milk to begin boiling.
• Once it begins to boil, press CANCEL.
• Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the lid.
• Now turn the valve to SEALING.
• Press the PRESSURE COOK button- HIGH PRESSURE- 5 minutes.
• Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
• When done, wait for natural pressure release.
• Once pressure releases naturally, press CANCEL and open the lid.

Blending

• Now, using an immersion blender, blend the carrots and milk to a smooth puree.
• Turn on SAUTE MODE- NORMAL- 7 MINUTES.
• Add condensed milk and stir to combine.
• Tip in the cashews and raisins.
• Mix well.
• Simmer till the SAUTE CYCLE completes.
• Keep stirring in between to avoid the BURN signal or the kheer sticking to the bottom.
• Our creamy carrot kheer is ready.

Carrot Payasam / Gajar Kheer Stovetop Method

• Heat a 3 liter deep pressure cooker with ghee.
• Add the cashews and fry them till they begin to brown.
• When cashews begin to brown, immediately tip in the raisins and fry till raisins are plump.
• Drain and set aside.
• To the cooker, add chopped carrots and 1 cup water.
• Pressure cook the carrots for 2 whistles.
• Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
• When pressure releases, open the lid and blend the carrots to a smooth paste using an immersion blender.
• In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee.
• Add the cardamom powder and the carrot paste and cook well stirring every now and then to avoid burning.
• The carrots must be cooked this way to get rid of the raw smell. This roughly takes about 5 mins.
• Now, add boiled milk and mix well.
• Simmer for 2 to 3 mins on medium flame.
• When done, add the condensed milk and mix well.
• Add the fried cashews and raisins.
• Mix well.
• Simmer for 4 to 5 mins on medium flame.
• Once done, remove from fire and set aside.

Notes

Nutrition values mentioned here are a rough estimate and are provided as a courtesy. Please consult a qualified nutrition expert for detailed analysis.

Instant pot timings may vary depending on geographical locations.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 567mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 10013IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 1mg

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More Carrot Recipes

In case you are a fan of carrots like me or if you are looking for more ways to include carrots in your kids’ diet, check out these recipes featuring carrots.

Carrot cupcakes

Carrot milk

Carrot and peas curry