Lauki Ki Kheer

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ghee 

200 grams lauki or 1 cup grated lauki (dudhi or ghia or bottle gourd or opo squash)

2.5 cups full fat milk

1 pinch saffron strands

¼ to ½ teaspoon cardamom powder

5 tablespoon sugar or add as required

1 Carrot

1 to 2 teaspoon rose water (optional)

12 to 15 cashews

1 tablespoon raisins - optional

Instructions

Rinse, peel and grate 200 grams lauki and carrot. You should get 1 cup grated lauki.

In a thick bottomed pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee.

 add the lauki and carrot.

Stir the lauki and lauki well and begin to saute it on a low to medium flame.

Stirring often, saute for 4 to 5 minutes.

.............making lauki ki kheer........................

Then add 2.5 cups milk and stir.

On a low to medium flame simmer the milk stirring at intervals, so that the milk does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.

After 5 to 6 minutes, add a pinch of saffron strands.

Continue to simmer milk till it comes to a gentle boil.

Keep on cooking milk, till its reduced a bit. 

Stir often and scrape the milk solids from the sides and add them to the simmering milk. Overall cook the milk for 16 to 20 minutes, stirring often.

Once the milk has reduced a bit, add 4 to 5 tbsp sugar.

Stir the sugar with the kheer mixture.

Then add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cardamom powder, 12 to 15 cashews.

Simmer the kheer for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Lastly switch off the flame and add 1 to 2 tsp rose water.

Now you can serve lauki ki kheer hot or warm or chilled. On cooling, the consistency of the lauki kheer will thicken.