Lauki ki Kheer Recipe (Easy Bottle Gourd Dessert)
Lauki, or bottle gourd, is a common vegetable for everyone, but few know that this humble lauki could turn into a comforting or unique dessert. Yes, learn how to make a traditional lauki ki kheer recipe with grated bottle gourd, turning it into a creamy, rich treat with whole milk, sugar, and the aroma of cardamom.
About lauki ki kheer
Lauki is also known as squash or dudhi in the regional language. It is also one of the vegetables eaten during fasts, and this bottle gourd pudding is one of them, made from it as a rich dessert.
It is widely consumed in summer due to its high water content, which makes it easy to digest, hydrates the body with its cooling effect, and has low calories.
It can be made in various ways, such as lauki ki sabji, lauki kofta, lauki ki barfi, paratha, and many more. But lauki ki kheer gives you another vibe. You can consider it one of the cooling summer desserts that perfectly fits into your meals.
In North India, people consume this dudhi kheer as a fasting dessert during Navratri, Shivratri, and Ekadashi. It suppresses sweet cravings instantly. Sago pearl pudding is also a perfect dessert during your fasts, which I always prepare for myself.
This bottle gourd dessert is slow-cooked, where the grated lauki is sautéed for a few minutes. Then it is slowly simmered in milk until it gets a thick, creamy consistency. At last, flavored with cardamom powder, and then serve it immediately.
My siblings hate this bottle gourd more than any other vegetable. But my mother and father eat this with thier whole heart. When I made this for the first time and serve, they ate it and gave gentle appreciation.
Kheer is one of the most satisfying and traditional desserts for special occasions and festivals. If you want to make your occasions more special, you can try my other kheer recipes:
Ingredients
- Lauki (Bottle Gourd)- Choose a fresh, small, and tender lauki with soft seeds. Avoid using bitter lauki, as bitterness remains after cooking.
- Milk- Use full-fat milk for a naturally sweet or creamy texture. You can also use regular milk, but the kheer may be slightly lighter.
- Sugar- I have used granulated white sugar, which you can adjust according to your taste. Instead, you can use jaggery, but add it after the cooking process is done to avoid curdling.
- Ghee- It is used to sauté the bottle gourd to remove rawness; any ghee works well here, homemade or store-bought.
- Almonds- I add 5 to 6 chopped almonds; if you want, you can add more to your liking, like cashews, pistachios, and raisins.
- Cardamom- Add a pinch of cardamom powder for a fragrant flavour. Add it at last to keep its aroma noticeable.
How to make lauki ki kheer recipe
1. Take a small-sized bottle gourd, remove its seeds, and grate it with a grater. The grated lauki should be one cup.
2. Now heat a pan with 1 tbsp of ghee on medium heat and add the squeezed bottle gourd.
Note that after grating, always squeeze the excess water from the grated bottle gourd to improve the flavour.
3. Start sauteing the bottle gourd with a spatula over medium heat until the raw smell of lauki is gone.
4. It takes 2 to 3 minutes to remove the rawness of the bottle gourd completely.
5. Add 2 cups of milk to it, mix well, and start cooking it on low heat.
6. Simmer it until the bottle gourd gets tender, or the milk comes to a boil.
7. When it gets tender, add the regular white sugar.
8. Mix well and continue simmering until the sugar is absorbed properly.
9. When it dissolves, add the chopped almonds and cardamom powder to it. Mix well and cook until thick.
10. When it reaches a thick and creamy texture, turn off the flame.
Serve this bottle gourd dessert garnished with chopped almonds or your favorite dry fruits. You can have it hot or chilled as you like. You can garnish with some saffron strands for a festive touch or share with your loved ones.
More dessert recipes you can try:
Lauki ki Kheer Recipe (Easy Bottle Gourd Dessert)
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated bottle gourd
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp chopped almonds
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
Instructions
- Grate the bottle gourd into a bowl or onto a plate and thoroughly squeeze all the water from it.
- Then heat ghee in a pan and add the squeezed bottle gourd.
- Saute it, stirring with a spatula until the raw smell of bottle gourd has gone.
- It takes 2 to 3 minutes to saute completely.
- Now add the milk and mix it well.
- Then cook it on low heat until the milk comes to a boil or the bottle gourd has softened.
- When the bottle gourd is soft and the sugar is mixed well.
- Continue to cook until the sugar dissolves properly.
- When the sugar is absorbed, add the chopped nuts and cardamom powder.
- Mix them well and continue simmering till a thick, creamy consistency is achieved.
- After achieving that consistency, turn off the flame.
- Serve it hot or warm as you like.
Notes
- Always sauté the lauki before adding milk to reduce rawness.
- Cook the kheer on low heat for better texture and flavour.
- You can store this kheer for 1 day in the refrigerator.
- After cooling, it gets thick; reheat it by adding some milk.
