Lauki Ka Halwa
A silky, cardamom-scented pudding of grated bottle gourd cooked down with ghee and milk until deeply caramelized. A traditional Indian dessert that's warm, comforting, and naturally vegetarian.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 6g
Ingredients
- 1 lb bottle gourd (lauki), peeled and grated
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 4 whole green cardamom pods
- ¼ cup raw cashews, chopped
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- 1
Peel the bottle gourd by running a vegetable peeler or sharp knife down the sides lengthwise, removing the thin green outer layer until the pale white flesh is exposed.
- 2
Cut the peeled gourd in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scrape out and discard the soft seeds and stringy center.
- 3
Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the gourd flesh downward into a large bowl, rotating the gourd as you go until you reach the hard end.
- 4
Crack open each cardamom pod by pressing it firmly with the flat side of a knife until the pod splits, releasing the tiny seeds inside.
- 5
Pour 4 tablespoons of ghee into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet and set it over medium-high heat for 60 seconds until the ghee is melted and shimmers when you tilt the pan.
- 6
Add all the grated gourd to the hot ghee and stir continuously with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom and sides of the skillet so nothing sticks.
- 7
Keep stirring until the gourd reduces significantly in volume and turns a deep golden-brown color, about 12–15 minutes — the mixture should look like thick, caramelized paste.
- 8
Pour in 1 cup of whole milk slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming as the milk incorporates into the cooked gourd.
- 9
Add the 4 cracked cardamom pods (pods and seeds together) to the mixture and stir well.
- 10
Continue stirring over medium heat for 5 minutes until the milk is fully absorbed and the mixture looks creamy and cohesive again.
- 11
Pour in the 0.5 cup of sweetened condensed milk and stir continuously for 3 minutes until it's fully blended in.
- 12
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue stirring once every 30 seconds for another 5 minutes until the halwa looks glossy and thick.
- 13
Add the 0.25 cup of chopped cashews and 0.25 cup of raisins to the halwa, stirring gently to distribute them throughout.
- 14
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the top and stir once more to combine, cooking for 30 more seconds.
- 15
Remove the skillet from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes; the halwa will thicken slightly as it cools.
- 16
Spoon the warm halwa into small serving bowls, discarding the cardamom pods if you encounter them, and serve immediately.
Tools you’ll need
- vegetable peeler
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- spoon
- box grater
- large bowl
- large heavy-bottomed skillet (12-inch)
- wooden spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
