Lauki Halwa Recipe (Dudhi Halwa)

4.75 from 16 votes

Lauki Halwa is also called Dudhi Halwa. It is a rich Indian sweet made with bottle gourd (opo squash), milk, sugar and ghee. The method of making lauki halwa is similar to making gajar halwa. Making lauki halwa is easy but takes some time. This is a slow cooked halwa and what you get after minutes of slow cooking is super deliciousness.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 343kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter)
2 cups tightly packed grated lauki or 300 grams lauki (bottle gourd or opo squash or dudhi)
2 cups whole milk - milk can be pasteurized or boiled before and can be used at room temperature or chilled
7 to 8 tablespoons sugar or add as required
5 to 6 green cardamoms - powdered or crushed or ½ to 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped nuts - almonds, cashews or pistachios
1 tablespoons raisins - optional

Instructions

Grating Bottle Gourd

Firstly rinse, peel and grate the lauki. Before grating taste the lauki. If it tastes sour or bitter then discard and do not cook it.
You will need 2 cups tightly packed grated lauki.

Making lauki halwa

Heat ghee in a heavy pan or kadai on medium-low to medium flame. Use a large kadai so that milk does not spill outside.
Add the grated lauki. Mix grated lauki very well with the ghee.
On a low to medium-low flame begin to saute the lauki. Stir often when sauteing lauki.
Saute lauki till the moisture dries. Then add whole milk and mix very well.
Continue to cook on a low to medium-low flame till the milk comes to a boil. In between do stir at times.
The milk will start boiling. At this step be attentive and keep on stirring, so that the milk does not spill from the pan.
Stirring often continue to cook till ¾ or 75% of the milk has reduced and absorbed.
Add sugar and chopped nuts. Mix very well. You can even add 2 to 3 teaspoons of rose water or kewra water (pandanus water) if you want at this step.
Stirring often cook till the halwa mixture starts coming together and thickens.
The halwa will gradually thicken and you will see some ghee being released from the sides. There should not be any liquid in the dudhi halwa.
Then switch off the heat and add golden raisins. Adding raisins is optional. Mix very well.
Garnish with some chopped nuts and serve lauki halwa hot or warm. Refrigerate remaining halwa. It stays good for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Use lauki which has a neutral taste. It can be bland, but should not be sour or bitter. Always avoid lauki which tastes bitter as it is poisonous and dangerous for the body.
Avoid using skimmed milk or toned milk as they may curdle.
Use only full-fat milk or whole milk.
In case the milk splits, then continue to cook on a medium to medium-high flame stirring often, till most of the whey evaporates. Then add ghee, sugar and continue to cook on medium-low flame till all the halwa thickens and some ghee is released from the sides of the halwa.
Sugar can be added less or more as per taste.
A few saffron strands can also be added.
You can add your choice of dry fruits and nuts.
You can add more ghee if you want.
The recipe can be halved, doubled or tripled.

Nutrition