When you have had a lot of cheesy creamy desserts and you want something cooling, healthy and yummy. It's time to make Lauki ki kheer, bottle gourd pudding.
Lauki ki kheer
Lauki means bottle gourd in Urdu and so the name Lauki ki Kheer. While kaddu ki kheer is hindi. It's very simple and the texture and method are very similar to cooking Gajrela (carrot pudding).
My mom often made it in summers as bottle gourd has cooling effect. She would keep it very simple with no milk powder or cream so I have kept them optional. But if I make it for guests or for kids, I make it rich and serve it with Kulfi. Frozen Kulfi makes it extra chilled.
It's a great way to add vegetable in kids food, although I had to tell my kid that the shredded thing is noodles. That's part of being mommy, sometimes with guilt. Serving with kulfi in ice cream cups really helps tempting children. What I did was, I made a whole batch and divided in two parts and added only half the amount of cream in one part that was for kids. Yeah, I often do these tricks to help myself fit in old clothes.
Benefits of Bottle gourd:
A great way to add bottle gourd in your diets is juicing it. It makes an inexpensive juice with many health benefits. Bottle gourd helps in
- cooling body
- prevents constipation and improves digestion
- sleep disorder
- prevents early hair greying
- reduces skin problems and add glow to skin
- urinary problems
- reduces heart problems.
How to make Lauki Kheer|Bottle gourd pudding
Boil milk with sugar and milk powder. Let it simmer for 20 minutes. This will take time so we will do other preparations in the meanwhile. (Milk powder helps thicken the milk but you can skip it).
Cut bottle gourd into had and peel it. Then shred it immediately.
Crackle cardamom seeds in oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
Add lauki and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium heat until cooked.
Bottle gourd is cooked.
Add bottle gourd in milk. And it simmer for 10 minutes.
While kheer simmer, slice and roast or fry almonds for garnish.
Let the lauki ki kheer cool completely then add cream. Mix well. Chill before serving and garnish with almonds. (Weight watchers can skip cream).
Hungry for desi dessert? Check these!
Lauki Kheer|Bottle gourd pudding
Ingredients
- 1 ½ liter, 6 cups whole milk , ( dhoodh)
- 200 gm,1 cup sugar , or more to taste
- 750 gm bottle gourd, 2 medium (lauki, dhudi) shredded
- 1 ½ teaspoon vegetable oil, or ghee
- 9 cardamom, , crushed or ½ tsp cardamom powder
- ½ cup milk powder, optional
- ½ cup cream, optional
- 12 almond, badaam, sliced and fried for garnish
Instructions
- In a thick bottomed wide pot, take milk and sugar. Bring milk to boil and then reduce flame to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
- In another heavy bottomed pan, heat oil and add cardamom. Add shredded bottle gourd and mix well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. (Don't let it burn, check at intervals and reduce heat as required add little water if needed.)
- Now add milk powder and cooked bottle gourd to simmering milk. Mix and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool completely. Add cream and mix well.
- Chill for two hours in fridge. Garnish with crunchy almonds just before serving.
Sumith says
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