It is so fascinating to see a vegetable that tastes quite bland like doodhi (lauki or bottle gourd, whatever you call it) get doused in some ghee, milk, sugar and nuts and evolve into this most delicious and quick to make dessert.
Check out Doodhi/Lauki Halwa recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar:
Ingredients
3-4 heaped tbsp Ghee
1 Bottle gourd, peeled, thick grated
2 cups Milk
A pinch baking soda
½ cup Sugar
½ tsp Cardamom powder
For Fried Nuts
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Chironji
4-5 Almonds, chopped
4-5 Cashew nut, chopped
For Garnish
Rose petals
Silver vark
Mint sprig
Fried Cashew nut
Method to prepare
In a pot, add milk and bring it to a boil, to this add baking soda, and stir well.
Then take a heavy bottom pan, add ghee, grated bottle gourd and saute it well on a medium flame, continue until the raw smell of the gourd goes away and the moisture evaporates. Once this is done, add hot milk and cook on a medium flame, stirring constantly.
Now, add fried nuts and mix well. Once the milk is absorbed in the gourd you will add sugar, constantly stirring until the halwa thickens.
Now, add cardamom powder and cook for two minutes. Garnished it with fried cashew, rose petals, silver varak and mint sprig, or any how you want. Served warm or chilled.
