North Indian•indulgent

lauki ki kheer

Delicious kheer made with bottle gourd or opo squash.

Ingredients

1 tbsp ghee (or a neutral flavored oil)
200 g lauki (or 1 cup grated lauki (dudhi or ghia or bottle gourd or opo squash))
2.5 cup full fat milk
1 pinch saffron strands
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
5 tbsp sugar (or add as required)
5 to 6 dried rose petals, (crushed (optional))
1 to 2 teaspoon rose water ((optional))
12 to 15 cashews
1 tbsp raisins (- optional)

1
Rinse, peel and grate 200 grams lauki (half of a medium sized lauki). You should get 1 cup grated lauki.
2
In a thick bottomed pan, heat ghee or a neutral flavored oil. Add the lauki.
3
Stir the lauki well and begin to saute it on a low to medium heat.
4
Stirring often, saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
5
Then add fresh whole milk and stir.
6
On a low to medium heat simmer the milk stirring at intervals, so that the milk does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.
7
After 5 to 6 minutes, add a pinch of saffron strands.
8
Continue to simmer milk till it comes to a gentle boil.
9
Keep on cooking milk, till its reduced a bit. Stir often and scrape the milk solids from the sides and add them to the simmering milk. Overall cook the milk for 16 to 20 minutes, stirring often.
10
Once the milk has reduced a bit, add sugar as per your taste.
11
Stir the sugar with the kheer mixture.
12
Then add cardamom powder and cashews.
13
Simmer the kheer for 2 to 3 minutes more.
14
Lastly switch off the heat and add rose water.
15
Then add 5 to 6 dried rose petals (crushed). Skip rose petals if you do not have.
16
Now you can serve lauki ki kheer hot or warm or chilled. On cooling, the consistency of the lauki kheer will thicken.