These simple and scrumptious carrot laddus (aka gajar ka laddu) are a luxurious treat for ya! No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives... As natural as it can be! Simple carrot laddu recipe using Instant pot.
This does need some elbow grease grating the carrots (especially if you don't have a food processor), but it is totally worth it! These are sweet, delicate, and indulging! If you are looking to try something new with carrots, try these carrot truffles with Indian flavors.
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Ingredients
- carrot
- sugar
- ghee
- cashew nuts
- raisins
- cardamom powder (ground cardamom)
garnish
- Dried desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
- coarsely crushed pistachios
Equipment Needed
pressure cooker/Instant Pot/ Large saucepan (though using a simple saucepan will increase the cooking time)
cooking spoons
measuring cups/spoons
a small tray
bowls
box grater/food processor
Step by Step Instructions
A printable recipe card can be found at the end.
preparation
- Peel, wash and pat dry carrots. Trim the ends.
- Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the carrots.
cooking
- Heat ghee in the Instant pot in the saute mode.
- Roast the cashew nut pieces and raisins separately for a couple of minutes. Drain on a paper towel till ready to use.
- To the same ghee, add the grated carrot and saute for 5-8 minutes till the raw smell goes and the carrot starts to soften.
- Add the sugar, stir to mix. The carrots will start releasing liquid. Close the lid. Turn the Instant pot mode to Manual mode and vent in the "Seal" position. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- Switch mode to saute and saute till all the liquid evaporates and the mixture starts to thicken. Take some mixture (it will be hot) in your hand and see if you can roll it into a ball. (If not, continue sauteing for some more time.) When the mixture rolls into a ball and holds shape, add the cardamom powder, cashew nuts, and raisins and mix well.
- Transfer to a tray and let it cool for some time.
- Using a tablespoon measure scoop out the mixture and roll into small balls (grease your palm with ghee if required). Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
- Garnish these laddus by gently rolling in desiccated coconut or crushed pistachios.
- Refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before you serve.
Inspiration for the Recipe
These are based on a recipe of carrot halwa that my husband and my sis-in-law grew up on. The carrot halwa recipe is pretty straightforward and does not require a lot of expertise. I modified that recipe (from my mother-in-law) to make these delicious carrot laddus.
A Note on the Garnishes
These carrot laddus or carrot truffles don't look very attractive without the final dusting of coconut flakes or you can also use some crushed pistachios. This final roll in the coconut flakes or pistachios not only acts as a garnish but also provides a little bit of texture.
How About Ready-to-Use Grated Carrots?
Do not use ready-to-use grated carrots. Grate the carrots either using a box grater or using a food processor. Grating requires a little elbow grease, but it is totally worth it.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust the quantity of sugar to suit your taste.
- The time required to make these should be used as an approximation. The actual time required may vary depending on the water content in the carrots.
- The recipe can be doubled.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They have lasted me for about a week.
- These carrot laddus can be used as stuffing for stuffed parathas and can be served for breakfast or used as a lunch box staple. Please note that you will not get a smooth finish like aloo paratha because of the nuts and raisins etc. that are used.
- When you roll the laddus when they are slightly wet/greasy, the coconut flakes absorb the orange color. But if you rest (for like about 5-8 minutes) the carrot laddu for a little while before rolling them in coconut flakes, the flakes retain the snow-white color. But make sure that the laddus do not dry out completely before your roll them in the desiccated coconut or pistachios.
- I have given the recipe for the carrot laddus using the Instant Pot method. The same can be followed using a regular pressure cooker over the stovetop. This will work even without a pressure cooker, but it will take longer to cook the grated carrots in sugar without a pressure cooker. Always use medium heat when preparing on the stovetop.
- Do not use ready-to-use grated carrots. Grate the carrots either using a box grater or using a food processor. Grating requires a little elbow grease, but it is totally worth it.
- Refrigerate these delicate laddus before serving firms them up a little bit.
More Indian Sweets
A delicious tapioca pearl pudding or sabudana kheer in Indian style. This is an eggless, stove-top tapioca pearl pudding or kheer recipe. this rich, creamy, luscious pudding uses the flavors from Indian cuisine- saffron and cardamom.
This recipe has Kerala roots - in Kerala cuisine, this is the Pumpkin Pradhaman(aka pumpkin payasam aka mathanga payasam) - a delicious silky pudding made with pumpkin puree and coconut milk, sweetened with jaggery.
Semiya Payasam is a quintessential sweet pudding made in almost all Indian households. It has many different names like Semiya Payasam (in the Southern part of India), Vermicelli Kheer (for a bit modern-ish outlook 🙂 ).
Churmundo or wheat flour laddus from Konkani cuisine are melt-in-the-mouth laddus made with just 6 ingredients. These are the atte ka laddoo with sugar. They are easy to prepare by roasting whole wheat flour in ghee or clarified butter. Imagine the aroma!! Whoa!
Rose and Saffron Panna Cotta with Berry Compote - An Indian twist to the delicate, silky, indulgent Italian custard. If you are looking for a grandiose dessert (that is uber easy to prepare) with a beautiful fruity-floral flavor profile, then this is it.
Doodhpaak (Kheer) - traditional, aromatic Indian pudding made by simmering rice in milk & sweetened with sugar. Tastes ab-so-lute-ly divine. Simple ingredients, when combined in the right proportion give such wonderful tasting rice pudding that can be served on its as a dessert or can be served with puris.
Carrot Laddu
These simple and scrumptious carrot laddus are a luxurious treat for ya! No artificial flavors or colors... As natural as it can be!
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrot; peeled;washed and pat dried
- ¾ cup sugar;adjust to taste
- 2-3 tablespoon ghee +more for greasing if required (clarified butter)
- 1 tablespoon cashewnuts; broken into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder (ground cardamom)
Garnish
- Dried desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
- coarsely crushed pistachios
Instructions
Preparation
- Peel, wash, and pat dry carrots. Trim the ends.
- Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the carrots.
Cooking
- Heat ghee in the Instant pot in the saute mode.
- Roast the cashew nut pieces and raisins separately for a couple of minutes. Drain on a paper towel till ready to use.
- To the same ghee, add the grated carrot and saute for 5-8 minutes till the raw smell goes and the carrot starts to soften.
- Add the sugar, stir to mix. The carrots will start releasing liquid. Close the lid. Turn the Instant pot mode to Manual mode and vent in the "Seal" position. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- Switch mode to saute and saute till all the liquid evaporates and the mixture starts to thicken. Take some mixture (it will be hot) in your hand and see if you can roll it into a ball. (If not, continue sauteing for some more time.) When the mixture rolls into a ball and holds shape, add the cardamom powder, cashew nuts, and raisins and mix well.
- Transfer to a tray and let it cool for some time.
- Using a tablespoon measure scoop out the mixture and roll into small balls (grease your palm with ghee if required). Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
- Garnish these laddus by gently rolling in desiccated coconut or crushed pistachios.
- Refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before you serve.
Notes
Adjust the quantity of sugar to suit your taste.
The time required to make these should be used as an approximation. The actual time required may vary depending on the water content in the carrots.
Recipe can be doubled.
Left overs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They have lasted me for about a week.
These carrot laddus can be used as stuffing for stuffed parathas and can be served for breakfast or used as a lunch box staple. Please note that you will not get a smooth finish like aloo paratha because of the nuts and raisins etc. that are used.
When you roll the laddus when they are slightly wet/greasy, the coconut flakes absorb the orange color. But if rest them for a little while before rolling them in coconut flakes, the flakes retain the snow-white color. But make sure that the laddus do not dry out completely before your roll them.
I have given the recipe for the carrot laddus using Instant Pot method. The same can be followed using a regular pressure cooker over the stove top. This will work even without pressure cooker, but it will take longer to cook the grated carrots in sugar without a pressure cooker. Always use medium heat when preparing on the stove top.
Do not use ready-to-use grated carrots. Grate the carrots either using a box grater or using food processor.
Refrigerate these delicate laddus before serving firms them up a little bit.
Use dried desiccated coconut for garnish for best results.
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