Diwali Recipe- Healthy To Eat Lauki Ka Halwa

Lauki ka halwa is a very popular Indian sweet. Traditionally khoya (or mawa) is added while preparing this halwa. But we have not used khoya (or mawa) and added milk powder instead. We have used unsweetened milk powder in this recipe. If you are using sweetened milk powder, then reduce the quantity of powdered rock sugar.

Ingredients

3 cups grated lauki / bottle gourd / dudhi (about 700 grams dudhi)
3 tablespoons ghee
½ cup water
½ cup milk powder (unsweetened)
½ cup milk
½ cup powdered rock sugar / mishri
¼ teaspoon elaichi/cardamom powder
10-12 kishmish/raisins

Method

- Wash the bottle gourd well and peel it with a peeler.

- Grate the bottle gourd. Preferably use grater with small holes, so cooking time is reduced. Do not grate/use the inner portion which has seeds.

- While you are grating bottle gourd, meanwhile heat 3 tablespoon ghee in a pan. Once ghee becomes warm, keep adding grated bottle gourd to it.

- Once you add grated bottle gourd to ghee, stir well and saute for 3-4 minutes.

- Then cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame for 10 minutes. Keep stirring in-between after every 4-5 minutes.

- After about 10 minutes, add ½ cup water, mix well. Again cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring in-between after every 4-5 minutes.

- In a bowl, combine milk powder and milk. Mix till no lumps remain. Add this mixture to the pan after 10 minutes.

- Once you add this mixture, keep stirring continuously and cook till all the moisture is absorbed.

- Then add powdered rock sugar and mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium low flame till excess moisture is absorbed and ghee separates from pan.

- In the end, switch off the flame and add elaichi powder and raisins. Mix well.

- Serve dudhi halwa hot or at room temperature.