Wash and peel the carrots, then grate them finely by hand or in a food processor. If you want the garnish, you can also prepare the nuts and raisins now. Dry roast the chopped nuts over low heat until they become crunchy, then let them cool. Alternatively, fry them in a little ghee until lightly golden, then fry the raisins until they puff up.

Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep pan. Keep an eye on it, as milk rises quickly.

Add the grated carrots to the hot milk and cook over medium heat, stirring often to prevent sticking. The mixture will gradually thicken as the milk evaporates.

Once the milk has fully evaporated, stir in the sugar. The mixture will initially appear loose; continue cooking until about half of the moisture cooks off.

Stir in the ghee, allowing the halwa to become richer and smoother.

Continue stirring until the remaining moisture is gone. The halwa should look glossy and slightly moist. Finally, add the cardamom, stir well, and top with the nuts and raisins before serving warm or chilled.