Carrots appear in the Turkish reçel repertoire as well as in savory cooking. Cinnamon and clove are used in Turkish carrot-jam recipes; this version also includes orange juice and zest. It is a small stovetop adaptation intended for the refrigerator, without a claim to a single regional origin.
Havuç Reçeli — Recipe Card
Grated carrot jam with orange, cinnamon and clove
Makes 20 servings · About 550–600 g (19.4–21.2 oz); approximately 20 small portions of 28–30 g (about 1 oz).US cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Havuç Reçeli
Prepare the carrots and citrus
Coarsely grate the prepared carrots. Scrub and dry the orange before removing its zest, avoiding the bitter white pith. Measure the juices and put a small saucer in the freezer.
Dissolve the sugar and simmer
Combine the carrots, sugar, water, orange juice, zest, cinnamon and clove in a medium heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer uncovered for 25–35 minutes, stirring frequently, until the carrots are tender and translucent and the syrup thickens. Reduce the heat and stir more often as it concentrates.
Finish and check the syrup
Stir in the lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and cool a teaspoonful on the cold saucer. It should be syrupy and slow-moving, not watery or firm like candy. If too loose, simmer for another 2–3 minutes and check again. Remove the cinnamon and the clove before serving or storing.
Cool promptly and chill
Transfer to clean, heat-safe shallow containers. Refrigerate promptly at 4°C (40°F) or below; do not wait for the pan to cool completely on the counter. Allow about 60 minutes for cooling and chilling, longer if needed, then cover once cold. Serve chilled in small portions.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-carrot-jam-havuc-receli. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Dietary notes
This base recipe is vegan and contains no gluten-containing ingredients. Use plain whole spices; check any flavored spice products before substituting.
Texture
This is a soft, strand-filled preserve, not a firm pectin-set jam. Pan width and carrot moisture affect cooking time and yield. Stop before the syrup becomes sticky and dark.
Small-batch storage
The lemon juice supplies flavor, not a verified canning acidity. Sugar, citrus and a sealed lid do not make this untested recipe safe for pantry storage. Do not invert jars or use a water-bath time taken from a different jam recipe.
How to store and reheat Havuç Reçeli
Keep at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within 3 days, using a clean spoon. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C (90°F). For longer keeping, freeze small portions for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw in the refrigerator and use within 24 hours. Discard the entire affected portion if mold appears.
Havuç Reçeli: questions and answers
Can I leave out the clove?
Yes. Omit the single clove for a gentler spice flavor; keep the other quantities and cooking method unchanged.
Why is the jam thicker when cold?
The syrup becomes more viscous as it cools. Always check a cooled spoonful before reducing further so the carrots remain surrounded by soft syrup.
