A simple homemade halwa is very satisfying. Flavours added just from aromatic elaichi/cardamom and smooth creaminess added from milk. Lauki or bottle gourd is like butter and this halwa has an almost melt in the mouth texture. A quick fix sweet when guests are coming over. The best part is, it can be served at room temperature or even a little warm. It is soothing to the gut especially if you have eaten spicy food or feeling acidic. I have not added khoya/khova to this halwa. Dumrotu(special halwa of Karnataka) is generally made using white ashgourd but both vegetables are very similar in texture and their halwa is similar.
Lauki Halwa | Sorekayi Halwa | Sorekayi Dumrotu
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A simple homemade halwa for the sweet tooth
Author: Vindhya Desai
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
- 200 to 250 Gm or ¾ to 1 Cup grated Lauki/Sorekayi/Bottle Gourd
- 1 Cup whole milk or full fat milk
- 1 Tbsp desi ghee
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 7-8 pounded elaichi or cardamom
- 8-10 broken unsalted/unroasted cashewnuts
- 12-15 raisins
Method
- Wash, peel, remove seeds and pith from the bottle gourd and grate with a fine grater
- In a pan, add half the ghee
- Add grated lauki and start sauteing it on low heat
- Grated lauki starts releasing juices, when juices start evaporating lauki slightly changes colour
- Pour in the milk and stir
- Let it come to a light boil
- When milk is reduced and volume is almost half, add sugar. Mix well
- The mixture turns a little watery again. Keep stirring and make sure milk does not stick to the bottom of the pan
- Add elaichi powder and mix well
- In another small pan, heat remaining ghee, add cashews and roast them till light golden
- Add raisins and once they plump up a bit remove cashews and raisins off heat
- Once halwa has absorbed most of the liquid, pour in the ghee roasted cashews and raisins
- Serve warm or at room temperature
Notes
Add grated halwa immediately to ghee in the pan, lauki or sorekayi tends to turn brown because of oxidation owing to its high iron content
Adjust sugar according to your taste. I generally add a little less for halwas especially for vegetable based halwas like carrot or lauki so the vegetable flavour also is highlighted
Keep on low flame throughout while making halwa
Add semi-skimmed milk if you want instead of whole milk
Dry roast cashews and raisins to further reduce calories in this recipe. But roasted in ghee gives the best aroma
I like to add more elaichi, reduce to 5-6 if you want
Double or triple this recipe if you want
Do not discard the pith and tender seeds from the halwa. I will soon post a dosa and saasme(raitha) recipe for its use
Adjust sugar according to your taste. I generally add a little less for halwas especially for vegetable based halwas like carrot or lauki so the vegetable flavour also is highlighted
Keep on low flame throughout while making halwa
Add semi-skimmed milk if you want instead of whole milk
Dry roast cashews and raisins to further reduce calories in this recipe. But roasted in ghee gives the best aroma
I like to add more elaichi, reduce to 5-6 if you want
Double or triple this recipe if you want
Do not discard the pith and tender seeds from the halwa. I will soon post a dosa and saasme(raitha) recipe for its use
3.5.3208
Stepwise:
Wash, peel, remove seeds and pith from the bottle gourd and grate with a fine grater
In a pan, add half the ghee
Add grated lauki and start sautéing it on low heat
Grated lauki starts releasing juices, when juices start evaporating lauki slightly changes colour
Pour in the milk and stir
Let it come to a light boil
When milk is reduced and volume is almost half, add sugar. Mix well
The mixture turns a little watery again. Keep stirring and make sure milk does not stick to the bottom of the pan
Add elaichi powder and mix well
In another small pan, heat remaining ghee, add cashews and roast them till light golden
Add raisins and once they plump up a bit remove cashews and raisins off heat
Once halwa has absorbed most of the liquid, pour in the ghee roasted cashews and raisins
Serve warm or at room temperature