Carrot Kheer Carrot Payasam

I first had this Carrot Kheer at a friend’s place; it was so yummy! My friend’s mom was visiting and made this awesome carrot kheer, so credit to you, Auntie Chandra Subramanian, for this recipe. The only thing going through my mind eating the kheer was how I could recreate this in the instant pot. The other significant part about this carrot pudding is that there is no need to spend time grating carrots. Isn’t that great? Grating is the only reason I don’t make Indian carrot halwa frequently, even though I love it. There are lots of recipes to make carrot kheer with grated carrots which are great too, and the method for those will be similar to making carrot halwa with extra milk and just not cooking until the milk is completely soaked by the carrots. You can serve this carrot kheer hot or cold. I like it cold with a garnish of pistachios and almonds. With no grating required, this Carrot Kheer has become our go-to dessert 🙂 If you like this kheer, you’ll love my rice kheer, oats kheer, and sabudana kheer recipes!

Carrot Payasam Ingredients

Carrots: The star ingredient of this kheer recipe. Cashews: They add a rich flavor and thicken the kheer.
Milk: Full-fat milk makes it rich and creamy. You can also use plant-based milk, such as almonds or oats. Sugar: Adds sweetness to the kheer. You can adjust the amount based on your taste. You can also use jaggery or dates to make this carrot kheer. See below for more details on how to make it with dates. Saffron: A tiny pinch adds a pleasant aroma and gives the kheer a lovely golden color. Cardamom: Adds a sweet, warm flavor and a pleasant aroma. Garnish: You’ll need slivered pistachios and almonds.

How to make Carrot Kheer?

First, we will prepare the ingredients: Peel the skin of the carrots and roughly cut them into pieces. Measure 1/4 cup of unsalted cashews, roughly 30-35 grams. Measure and set aside 1 liter of milk. Add the carrots and cashews with 1/2 cup of water to the pressure cooker to start cooking.

Pressure cook for 7 minutes in the Instant Pot or two whistles in a stovetop pressure cooker with the vent in the sealing position. When the pressure cooking is done, let the pressure release naturally. While the carrots are cooking, add the milk to a large pan and bring it to a boil. Transfer the contents to a blender and blend to a smooth paste. If needed, add some portion of the milk while blending. I used my Vitamix to blend it to achieve a smooth texture.

Add the blended mixture to the boiled milk and stir well until it is all homogenous. Add cardamom powder, saffron strands, and sugar. Give a good stir.

Let the kheer simmer for 20-25 minutes on medium-low heat until it is thickened. Let the kheer cool down and you can chill it in the refrigerator.

Serve this carrot payasam in bowls and garnish with slivered nuts such as almonds and pistachios. You can also garnish with raisins or some crushed saffron strands.

Carrot Kheer With Dates

To make this kheer without sugar, use 6-7 large Medjool dates. You would need pitted dates with the seed removed. Add them to the pressure cooker along with the carrots and cashews so they will soften and blend well. Here is the carrot kheer made with dates. The color will be a bit different due to the addition of dates. Consistency: This is not a very thick kheer. For a thicker and creamier pudding, increase the quantity of cashews to 1/3 cup. You can also use almonds in place of cashews in this kheer. Sweetener: I have tried this kheer with sugar, jaggery, and dates. Depending on your preference, they are all great options. Make it Vegan: For a vegan version, you can make this carrot kheer with dairy-free milk, such as almond or oat milk.