Lauki halwa or doodhi halwa is a traditional Indian dessert that is made in almost all North Indian households during festivals or special occasions. Made using bottle gourd or dudhi, this is a delicious halwa that will surely satisfy your taste buds. Here is how to make it.
Heat ghee in a heavy bottom large size pan over medium heat.
Once the ghee is hot, add almonds and cashew nuts to the pan. Fry them until they are golden brown in color (1-2 minuts). Keep stirring while frying.
Add the grated lauki to the pan and fry for 5-6 minutes.
Now add 3 cups of whole milk.
Reduce the heat and cook until all the milk has reduced. Keep stirring frequently to avoid milk from burning at the bottom of the pan. It will take 20-25 minutes for all the milk to be reduced.
Add cardamom powder and rose water and cook for a minute.
In the meanwhile, add khoya to a non-stick pan and cook it until it turns slightly brown. This is to remove the raw smell of the khoya.
Add the browned khoya and sugar to the pan with lauki and mix everything well. Cook on medium heat until the halwa has thickened and ghee starts to leave from the sides of the pan (15-20 minutes). Do not overcook otherwise the halwa will become too thick and do not undercooked otherwise it will be watery.
Garnish the ready halwa with almonds and pistachio slivers. I also like to add some dry rose petals as they give a nice contrast. Serve warm.
Notes
Taste the lauki before using, because sometimes they turn out to be bitter or sour, which will ruin the taste of your Halwa. Always use full-fat milk or full cream milk to make the Halwa. If you add skim milk or low-fat milk, there are high chances of milk getting curdled.