Bottle Gourd Pudding / Lauki ki Kheer / Indian Dessert / Navratri Fasting food - Festive Cooking

Bottle Gourd Pudding or Lauki ki Kheer is a traditional Indian dessert. It is very delicious and at the same time healthy . Lauki or Bottle gourd is well known for its low calorie count and as a heart friendly veggie. It is 96 % water and rich in minerals and vitamins. Thankfully , it is a happy vegetable in my house and we enjoy this healthy veggie in juice , curry , cheela , and raita form. I have already posted Bottle Gourd Raita in my earlier posts. This time , i made a pudding using this nutritious vegetable. If you further reduce this Bottle Gourd pudding, you will get Lauki ka halwa, which is yet another delicious dessert.

This year , Sharad Navratri will start from tomorrow. This Lauki ki Kheer can also be taken as vrat or fasting food during Navratri. If this pudding is made using low fat milk and very little sweetener, this can be had even by diabetic patient and those who intent to loose weight. The recipe is very simple and easy to follow. Here i have flavored the kheer mildly , using Green Cardamom and Nutmeg powder. You may use Rose water or Kevda water to flavor it.

Ingredients:

• Grated Bottle gourd - 1 cup
• Cow Milk - 2 cups ( i have used whole fresh Cow Milk, you may use low fat or full fat Milk)
• Sugar - 5 Tbsp (Adjust the sugar as per taste. )
• Ghee - 1 Tbsp
• Chopped Nuts of your choice - 2 Tbsp ( i have used Almonds and Walnuts)
• Few strands of Saffron 
• Sweet Masala ( Cardamom Nutmeg powder) - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1.  Boil 2 cups of fresh Cow milk in a vessel. Simmer it and reduce for 10-15 minutes.
   
   
   

     2.  Meanwhile, wash and peel a medium Bottle Gourd. Cut it into half length wise. Remove the seeds if any from the center. The one i used was tender and did not have any seeds. 

  3   Grate the Bottle gourd. Use 1 cup of the grated Bottle gourd for this recipe. You may use the remaining for kofta curry.

    4. Heat up 1 Tbsp Ghee in a non stick pan and saute the grated Bottle gourd for 1-2 minutes. Using a wide pan fastens the process of evaporation and thus saves time.

   5. To this , add the thickened and reduced milk . Stir well and let this mixture cook for 4-5 minutes or until the milk evaporates further and mixture turns creamy. 

  6.  Now add in sugar and mix well until it dissolves in the kheer. Cook for 2-3 minutes more.

 7. Put off the flame. Add the Cardamom and Nutmeg Powder, mix well. Garnish the kheer with chopped Almonds , Walnuts and few strands of Saffron or any other dry fruits of your choice. 

  8. Serve hot or chilled and enjoy !!

   Wishing a very Happy and Blessed Navratri to all those who celebrate.  Jai Mata Di !!!

You can also check more Navratri fasting recipes from my posts: Apple Rabadi , Rasgulla , Nariyal Burfi , Mishti Doi , Strawberry Milkshake , Raw Banana Cutlets , Dates and Nuts Ladoo , Shrikhand.