Carrot kheer, also known as carrot payasam, is a rich and delicious Indian-style pudding/dessert made with carrots, almonds, milk, dates or sugar, saffron, and pistachios. It can be prepared using an Instant Pot pressure cooker or on the stovetop.
I first tasted this yummy carrot badam kheer at my husband's colleague's home during the Navaratri (Golu) festival. She served it hot as a welcome drink, and we all loved it. Then, my friend Swetha made it for a potluck. Since then, I’ve been wanting to share it on my blog.
Today, I am sharing how to prepare refined sugar-free and dairy-free carrot almond kheer/payasam recipe, but you can use any milk and sweetener of your choice. You can replace almonds with cashews in this recipe or use both.
My daughter Dhwani loves this kheer very much, just like paneer kheer, rice kheer, and makhana kheer. I usually serve it as an evening snack, and she enjoys it either cold or lukewarm.
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Carrot Payasam Recipe Ingredients
- Carrots: Use fresh, tender orange carrots to make this recipe. You can also use red carrots, also known as desi gajar, in India.
- Milk: I used whole milk, you can also use unsweetened almond milk. Another alternative is coconut milk.
- Sweetener: Depending on the sweetness of the carrots, sugar can be altered. I have made a refined sugar-free version by using pitted dates for this recipe. You can also make this recipe with refined sugar or jaggery. You can also use condensed milk.
- Dry fruits: Dry fruits like almonds, cashews, or both can be used for this recipe. For garnishing, you may also use raisins, cashew nuts, and pistachios.
- Saffron strands: A few saffron strands are soaked in warm milk and added to the kheer to add flavor and color. It's optional.
How to Make Carrot Kheer (Payasam)
First, soak the almonds in hot water for 15 minutes or in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then, peel off the skin and set them aside.
Soak 1 pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon warm milk for at least 15 minutes. Keep it aside.
Peel and chop the carrots roughly into small circles or cubes.
Instant Pot Instructions:
Firstly, add 1 cup of water into the instant pot insert. Next, place the trivet and the bowl with 2 medium carrots, 15-20 almonds, 8 pitted dates, and ½ cup of water.
Note: You can also cook carrots directly in the Instant Pot insert.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 4 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
Blend the cooked carrots and almond dates mixture with a little water or milk until completely smooth.
Press the SAUTE button. Add 1-2 tablespoons ghee to the pot. Once hot, add the carrot almond paste and cook for 1-2 minutes or till the raw smell of the carrots is gone.
Next, add 2 cups of whole milk to the pot, mix well, and let the milk come to a boil. Stir frequently.
Once the kheer just starts to boil, add ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder, saffron milk, mix well, and Press Cancel. The kheer will thicken as it cools.
Garnish with 2 tablespoons pistachios. Serve carrot almond payasam warm or cold.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Instructions
- Follow the process mentioned above for the stovetop pressure cooker. Give 2-3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.
Stovetop Pot Instructions
- Follow the process mentioned above. Cover the pot with a lid and cook till carrots are tender. Takes about 10-15 minutes. Do stir once or twice in between. All the other steps remain the same.
Tips & Variations
- Clean the instant pot thoroughly – the steel pot, lid, and sealing ring. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it else, milk may curdle.
- You can roast some other dry fruits like raisins, and cashew nuts in ghee and add them to the kheer.
- Condensed milk can be used for additional rich flavor.
- Add jaggery or palm sugar instead of dates.
- You may serve it warm or chilled.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
Carrot Kheer - Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots (about 1 cup)
- 15-20 almonds (soaked for 15 minutes and skin removed)
- 8 pitted dates (or ¼ cup sugar)
- 2 cups whole milk (or almond milk)
- ½ cup water
- 1 pinch saffron (soaked in 1 tablespoon of warm milk)
- 1-2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoons pistachios for garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Firstly, soak the almonds in hot water for 15 mins or boiling water for 5 mins. Then peel the skin of the almonds. Keep aside.
- Peel and chop the carrots roughly into small circles or cubes.
- Firstly add 1 cup of water into the instant pot insert. Next, place the trivet and the bowl with carrots, almonds, dates, and ½ cup of water.Note: You can also cook carrots directly in the Instant Pot insert.
- Close the lid. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set the timer to 4 minutes.Once the pot beeps, allow 10-minute Natural Pressure Release (NPR) and then release the remaining pressure manually.
- Blend the cooked carrots almond dates mixture with little water or milk until completely smooth.
- Press SAUTE button. Add ghee into the pot. Once hot, add the carrot almond paste and cook for 1-2 minutes or till the raw smell of the carrots is gone.
- Next, add the milk to the pot, mix well and let the milk come to a boil. Stir frequently.
- Once the kheer just starts to boil, add the cardamom powder, saffron milk, mix well, and Press Cancel. The kheer will thicken as it cools.
- Garnish with pistachios. Serve warm or cold.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Follow the process mentioned above for the stovetop pressure cooker. Give 2-3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.
Stovetop Pot Method:
- Follow the process mentioned above. Cover pot with a lid and cook till carrots are tender. Takes about 10-15 minutes. Do stir once or twice in between. All the other steps remain the same.
Notes
- Clean the instant pot thoroughly – the steel pot, lid, and sealing ring. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it else milk may curdle.
- You can also pressure cook the almonds with peels to retain the nutritional value.
- You can roast some other dry fruits like raisins, cashew nuts in ghee and add them to the kheer.
- Condensed milk can be used for additional rich flavor.
- Add jaggery or palm sugar instead of dates.
- You may serve it warm or chilled.
Nutrition
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Anonymous
Tried this and it came out really yummy! 🙂
Bhavana Patil
So good to hear, you liked it.