Lauki Gud ka Halwa

For me Lauki Gud ka Halwa (Bottle Gourd Jaggery Dessert) is like opening a treasure chest, which is fully loaded with nostalgic childhood memories. Warm halwa has always been part of our winter meals during my childhood days. I still remember how I use to gulp down piping hot chapatis with this warm halwa sitting in the kitchen listening to my mom’s childhood stories, while she was making hot chapatis for us.

My dad and my sweet little sister are very fond of sweets. So, my mom always makes it a point to make something sweet to relish after meals. Either it is kheer or thulli or egg pudding or gulab jamun. But during winters she always makes halwa or kalakand to go with chapatis along with any available seasonal veggie.

The best days are the days when we all use to sit together in kitchen soaking up the warmth from the kitchen fire, talking endlessly on no topic, smiling and relishing fresh, hot and mom cooked home food. Those days are bliss and my most treasured memories. If mom is making this lauki gud ka halwa | dudhi ka halwa in summer, she will add sugar instead of jaggery. As jaggery (gud) is considered warm as it gives enough calories to keep the body warm and it also helps to dilate blood vessels and produces warmth in the body, mom use to add jaggery to sweets (mostly halwas) during winters.

Lauki | Dudhi (bottle gourd) is my favorite veggie and I often make Lauki Chana Dal ki Sabzi and it is mostly used in making Dalcha. A very famous Hyderabadi wedding dessert Gil-e-Firdaus is also made using Lauki. Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2020. Do try out this yummy lauki gud ka halwa and let me know…

Variations in making Lauki Halwa

• You can easily substitute jaggery with sugar or date palm jaggery or jaggery powder.
• To give more creamy texture, try adding milk powder or condensed milk in making this.

Yield: 6

Lauki Gud ka Halwa

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Lauki Gud ka Halwa is refined sgar free, gluten-free, warm, delicious and easy to make dessert, with bottle gourd and jaggery as star ingredients.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized Lauki | Bottle gourd
• 200 g Jaggery
• ½ tbsp. Cardamom powder
• 10 Almonds
• 10 Pistachios, optional
• 4 tbsp. Ghee
• 1 Silver leaf (Warq), optional, for decoration

Instructions

How to make Refined Sugar-Free Lauki Gud ka Halwa

1. Soak almonds in warm water for 15-20 minutes and peel the skin. Rinse and tap to dry. Cut into long slivers and spread them on a kitchen tissue or towel to dry. Cut the pistachio too and set aside.
2. Powder jaggery and add it to heavy bottom vessel along with half cup of water. Bring this to boil on medium flame by continuously stirring and scrapping the sides of the vessel.
3. When the mixture starts to boil, turn off the flame and carefully stain the mixture. Set this aside.
4. Peel the skin of bottle gourd using peeler or knife and cut length wise into four quarters. (Taste a small piece, before you start grating. (If it is sour or bitter, then don’t use it)).
5. Scrape the seeds and grate the bottle gourd. Collect the grated bottle gourd in a bowl and set aside.
6. In a heavy bottle cooking vessel (I usually use thick bottom kadai), add 3 tbsp. of ghee and when it heats up add grated bottle gourd.
7. Cook on medium heat by continuously stirring it. When the raw smell of bottle gourd wafts and the moisture is completely absorbed, then add above stained jaggery mixture. Give the ingredients good stir and add in cardamom powder.
8. Cook by stirring continuously till the mixture thickens to semi solid halwa consistency. (As the halwa cools down, it will become thicker). Turn off the flame and set this aside.
9. Add love to make this lauki halwa taste ‘Yummy’.  

Notes

Lubna's Serving Suggestions:

• In a pan add ghee and fry slivered almonds and pistachios until light brown. Remove into a bowl.
• Add half of fried almonds and pistachio to the halwa and give it a gentle stir.
• Serve halwa warm by garnishing with rest of the fried almonds and pistachios.
• If using, gently spread the silver leaf on top. Warm and yum Lauki Gud ka Halwa is ready to serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 26mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 33gProtein: 1g

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