Lauki halwa with khoya

Lauki is a light vegetable available throughout the year. I have harvested the fresh, tender lauki from my farm. 

Few things to remember before start making the lauki halwa. You should keep all the ingredients ready, like milk, sugar,ghee, cardamom powder, dry chopped nuts and crumbled khoya.

Also as soon as you grate the lauki immediately start making the halwa, as lauki has certain properties which turns it  into black colour. 

Lauki halwa with khoya 

Ingredients

1 medium sized lauki, washed, peeled and grated - 2 cups

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons of ghee

1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder

200 grams of fresh khoya ( I used Amul)

1 cup milk.

2 tablespoons of crushed nuts (cashews and almonds)

Method

In a thick bottomed kadai pour ghee, add grated lauki, mix well, cook in medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.

Once the lauki is tender, add sugar and continue stirring.

Once sugar is melted and started to cook, add milk and keep stirring.

You will start noticing that the milk is slowly reducing and the halwa is thickening.

You may add the crumbled khoya and stir further. 

When it's completely gets mixed up, you can see the ghee starts to oozes at the edges of the halwa.

You can add the crushed nuts and cook for a little more time.

Once the halwa has nicely thickened, off the stove.

You may add more nuts to garnish if you like, ( I have roasted a few cashews for the garnish)

Serve the halwa when it's still warm.