Carrot Milk (Gajar Ka Doodh)
Carrot Milk (Gajar Ka Doodh) is an Indian beverage in which cooked carrot puree is added to milk and flavored with cardamom. This drink is made especially in winter when fresh red carrots are available.
You may like some more carrot recipes: Carrot Raita, Carrot Kheer, and Carrot Halwa.
When we were kids, my mom expected us to drink a glass of milk every day. While my sisters followed her request, I found it extremely difficult to gulp down the glass. I couldn’t stand it. So, for many months, I quietly threw it in the drain. But moms are moms, and I got caught one day.
My mom, being the gentlest soul, instead of scolding me, patiently asked me how she could improvise so that I could at least drink half a glass regularly. So, for many years after the incident, it was flavored milk for me. In winter, this carrot milk was made frequently using red winter carrots. For the rest of the year, it was either saffron milk, masala milk, or haldi doodh.
About Carrot Milk (Gajar Doodh)
Carrot Milk (Gajar ka Doodh) is an Indian beverage specially made during winter when fresh red carrots are available. It is a delicious drink which can be made in under 30 minutes using ingredients which are mostly available in Indian kitchens.
This drink tastes the best when made using juicy and sweet red carrots but you can also make it using orange carrots if red carrots are not available.
This is a winter drink and so it is mostly served hot but if you want, you can chill it for a few hours and serve it chilled just like badam milk. You can serve it for breakfast, evening snacks, or just before bed.
Ingredients
Carrot – Try to make this drink using red carrots. They are available in winter in any Indian grocery store. If red carrots are not available, then you can make this drink using regular orange carrots too.
Nuts – I add some dried nuts like almonds and cashews when making gajar ka doodh. They not only make it more nutritious but also gives it a creamy and rich texture.
Milk – I use whole milk (full-fat milk) to make this recipe as I like my carrot doodh rich and creamy. You can use skim or low-fat milk.
Use any plant-based milk like coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk etc in place of dairy milk if you want to make it vegan.
Others – You will need cloves (laung), sugar, and green cardamom powder (elaichi powder) to flavor the milk.
You can use jaggery, brown sugar, agave, honey, or organic maple syrup in place of sugar.
If you do not have green cardamom powder, then just crush 2-3 whole green cardamom pods and add them to the milk.
You can also add a few strands of saffron to this drink. They will make it taste even better and will also improve your sleep quality. Saffron is also a great antidepressant and if you want to relax your mind, it is good to include it in your diet.
How To Make Carrot Milk
Preparation
Take 200 g of red carrots and cut ½-inch of their top and bottom using a sharp knife. Now peel the carrots using a vegetable peeler and rinse them well with water.
Cut the peeled carrots into ½-inch pieces.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Cook The Carrots
Add 200 g of peeled and chopped carrots, 5-6 whole cashew nuts, and 5-6 whole almonds to a saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and stir to combine.
Cover the pan with a lid and keep it on medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the carrots are soft Stir 2-3 times while cooking.
Now remove the pan from heat and open the lid. Let the ingredients cool down completely. It will take 10-12 minutes.
Note – The idea to cool the ingredients is that they don’t splatter while blending. If your blender has an openable vent on top, then you don’t have to wait for the mixture to cool completely. You can just cool it for 5 minutes and then blend.
Note – I have cooked the carrots in a pan over the stovetop, but you can also use a traditional pressure cooker or an instant pot to speed up the cooking process.
Make The Carrot Milk
Transfer the cooled ingredients to a blender and blend until to make a smooth mixture. Set the puree aside.
Now transfer 1 liter of whole milk and 2 cloves to a pan and heat over medium heat until the milk starts to boils. Stir frequently to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pan.
Once the milk starts to boil, reduce the heat to low.
Add the carrot paste to the pan and stir well. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
Now add ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and ¼ cup sugar to the pan and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Check the sweetness of the milk and add more sugar if the milk is not sweet as per your taste. I like very mildly sweet milk and the sugar measurement is according to my taste. Cook for another minute if you add more sugar.
Pour gajar ka doodh into serving glasses. Garnish it with some slivered almonds, pistachios, and dried edible flowers, and serve hot.
Note – You can strain the milk using a mesh strainer if you don’t like bits of carrot coming into your mouth.
You can also serve it chilled if you wish to.
Storage Suggestions
Whenever I make this recipe, I double or triple the batch as it stays well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Just cool it down to room temperature and store it in an airtight container. Whenever you want to serve it, reheat it in a pan or in a microwave and serve it hot.
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Carrot Milk Recipe (Gajar Ka Doodh)
Ingredients
- 200 grams red carrots (peeled and cubed, or orange carrots if red carrots are not available)
- 5-6 whole cashew nuts
- 5-6 whole almonds
- 1 cup water
- 1 litre whole milk (full-fat milk) (use skim or low-fat milk to make it lighter. Use plant-based milk to make it vegan.)
- 2 cloves (laung)
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (hari elaichi powder)
- ¼ cup sugar (or to taste)
Instructions
Cook The Carrots
- Add carrots, cashew nuts, and almonds to a pan along with 1 cup water.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the ingredients cool down completely.
- The idea to cool the ingredients is that they don't splatter while blending. If your blender has an openable vent on top, then you don't have to wait for the mixture to cool completely. You can just cool it for 5 minutes and then blend.
- Note – I have cooked carrots in a pan, but to fasten the process, you can cook them in a pressure cooker or an instant pot.
Make The Carrot Milk
- Transfer the cooled ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Transfer milk and cloves to a pan and heat over medium heat until the milk comes to a boil. Stir frequently to avoid scorching.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the carrot paste to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes on low heat. Stir frequently.
- Add cardamom powder and sugar and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Check the sweetness of the milk and add more sugar if required and cook for another minute.
- Pour gajar ka doodh into serving glasses, garnish with slivered almonds, pistachios, and dried edible flowers, and serve hot. You can also serve it chilled.
This was amazing. Super easy, straightforward recipe. I couldn’t find red carrots so I just used regular orange ones. I also used oat milk and three extra teaspoons of sugar. So yummy, thank you for sharing your recipe!