Lauki Halwa is one of those Indian desserts that turns a humble bottle gourd into something wonderfully rich and comforting. Made with grated lauki, milk, sugar, and crunchy nuts, this one-pot lauki halwa recipe comes together with less mess. Its creamy texture and mouth-melting flavour are perfect for festivals, special occasions, and homemade sweet cravings.

Lauki is a healthy and nutritious vegetable that can also be turned into other dishes like lauki ki kheer, lauki kofta, and lauki ki sabji. You can read all of them in my blog too.

About lauki halwa

Lauki halwa, bottle gourd halwa, opo squash halwa, calabash squash halwa, and dudhi halwa all are known according to the regional language. It is made only during festival fasts, but very few people know about it. Here, you also don’t need to do much hustle; a single pot is enough to make your day.

This dudhi halwa is a little-time consuming than other halwa, but all the effort is worth it when you personally take a bite of it! Basically needs a fresh-squeezed bottle gourd that sautés in ghee, then cooks with milk and sugar until they are both absorbed and it reaches a creamy texture.

After that, they are flavored with chopped nuts and some cardamom and served after lunch or dinner. Also, you can give yourself a treat when you have high sugar cravings; this one is perfect to suppress that.

Ingredients

Bottle Gourd- Choose fresh tender lauki with pale green skin. Peel, grate, and squeeze all the water from it before cooking.

Milk- Use full-fat milk for a richer and creamier halwa. If you use normal milk, you will get a lighter version of halwa.

Sugar- Adjust quantity according to your preferred sweetness.

Ghee- It’s an essential part of any halwa, which adds richness.

Almonds- Chop some pieces for some crunchiness.

Dry Coconut- It adds extra creaminess to the halwa.

Cardamom- For some aroma.

How to make lauki halwa recipe

1. Heat 2 to 3 tbsp ghee in a deep kadai over medium heat.

2. Now add 1 cup of squeezed lauki to it. Make sure no water remains in the grated bottle gourd.

3. Sauté it in ghee for 3 to 4 minutes or until the raw smell is gone.

4. When the smell is removed, add 2 cups of full-fat milk.

5. Simmer it over high heat until the milk comes to a boil.

6. When the boil comes, turn the flame to low and continue to cook until the milk is fully absorbed into the lauki. Also, stir to prevent sticking.

7. It takes 10 to 12 minutes to get the milk fully absorbed into the lauki.

8. Now add 1/2 cup of sugar; you can add more or less to your taste.

9. Mix well and continue cooking until the sugar dissolves.

10. After the sugar dissolves, add 1 tbsp of chopped almonds, 1 tbsp of dry coconut, and 1 tsp of cardamom powder.

You can add more nuts of your choice here.

11. Mix well and continue simmering until the ghee separates from it.

12. When the halwa starts releasing ghee from its sides, turn off the flame. The dudhi halwa is ready to serve.

Serve lauki halwa warm or chilled, to your taste preference. Garnish with chopped almonds, dry coconut, or more of your favorite nuts. Also, sprinkle some cardamom powder for extra aroma after an Indian meal or any family celebrations.

You can also add makhana kheer, meethe jave, or sweet rice to your special occasions.

Pro Tips

Choose Lauki: Fresh tender bottle gourd gives the best texture. Avoid lauki that tastes bitter. When peeling lauki, try to remove all the seeds.

Excess water: After grating, squeeze all the water from lauki; if the water is not removed, the halwa takes a long time to cook.

Cook patiently: Let the lauki cook properly with the milk before adding sugar so that the milk is fully reduced by the lauki.

Add nuts at the end: This keeps them crunchy; also, you can lightly roast the nuts in ghee for extra crunch.