7 Tips To Make The Perfect

Lauki Halwa For Sawan Vrat

Sawan Vrat Recipes are of a wide variety, and devotees, while observing the fasts, look for a dessert that satisfies their sweet tooth. Lauki halwa recipe, also known as dudhi halwa, is the best option for this time. It is a delicious Indian sweet made of bottle gourd, sugar, ghee and milk.  Unlike other vegetable halwas, like carrot, beetroot, and pumpkin, this halwa recipe does not require any khoya or mawa. With the right tips and some patience, you can easily cook it at home.

If you don’t choose the right variety of bottle gourd, then your lauki halwa recipe may taste bitter.

So, it is essential to choose a young and freshly harvested variety of lauki. Your lauki should have a neutral taste. However, if it is sour or bitter, it may curdle the milk and can be dangerous for your body. To start the recipe, first rinse and peel the lauki. Take a taste test; if it tastes bitter or sour, then discard it and don’t use it for cooking. Then grate the lauki using a food processor or a hand grater.

Lauki halwa can be cooked in two ways: either cook it directly in milk, or you can saute the lauki in ghee first, then cook it in milk. You should choose the second option, as it removes the raw smell and evaporates the moisture present in the lauki. Heat ghee in a kadhai and add the grated lauki. Sauté and fry until the excess moisture evaporates and the ghee starts separating from the lauki.

One big problem beginner chefs often face is milk curdling while cooking lauki halwa. Using the right type of lauki and milk solves the problem. You should simmer the lauki in fresh full-cream milk or full-fat milk. Always read the labels of the milk packets and check their shelf life. Avoid using skimmed or low-fat milk. You can even use the homogenised or pasteurised milk. After adding milk to the khadai, mix well and continue cooking over a medium-low flame. Stir the mixture in between till 75 per cent of the milk gets reduced and absorbed by the lauki.

This lauki halwa recipe requires full attention while incorporating the ingredients. However, if the milk curdles, first, no need to panic.  Keep cooking the mixture on medium to medium-high flame, which will eventually evaporate the whey or water. In this way, you can simply cook the lauki, thicken the halwa, and get some tiny paneer granules (coagulated milk solids) in it, which taste delicious as well.

Once your lauki halwa is 90 per cent cooked and the mixture starts smelling great, it's time to add some flavours. Add some cardamom powder to the halwa; if you don’t have it, crush some cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle and use the powder. Additionally, you can also add some amount of kewra water or rose water to provide an aromatic finishing. You can even add some chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, and pistachios) to add crunch to your halwa recipe. 

Serve this incredibly tasty halwa hot or chilled as a dessert after a meal. Apart from a sawan vrat recipe, you can also make lauki halwa during your Navratri and Ekadashi fasts. Garnish it with fried nuts, rose petals, mint sprig and silver vark. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator. It remains good for around 2-3 days in the refrigerator. This luscious, rich and creamy treat can also be served warm in winter. 

Lauki halwa recipe requires patience while cooking. From waiting for the moisture to evaporate from the lauki to cooking until the milk gets reduced, you make a mouthwatering lauki halwa to relish during the sawan. Additionally, with this recipe, you are also enjoying a highly nutritious bottle gourd, which is rich in minerals like calcium and phosphorus, and also a good source of dietary fibre. So try this hawa recipe and satisfy your sweet tooth during the Sawan fasting days.