Lauki Kheer

I was a little skeptical about this dish. This is a kheer made of lauki or bottle gourd and I am not quite a fan of this vegetable. However, I decided to give it a try. And.. to my surprise I just loved it. Moreover, my daughter, who is a picky eater, loved it too.. So, now this is something I am gonna  make more often.

Ingredients:

• Lauki ( Bottle Gourd )  - 1 medium
• Milk - 5 cups ( I prefer whole milk )
• Sugar - 3/4 cup or to taste
• Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Dry Fruits ( Cashew Nuts or Raisins or Pistachios or Almonds ) - to garnish
• Ghee - 2 tbsp

Directions:

• Peel, slit lengthwise and deseed the bottle gourd. 
• Shred it and keep aside for 10 minutes. 
• Squeeze out all the water from the shredded lauki.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add shredded lauki. Stir fry for about 5 minutes and turn off the heat.
• Boil milk in another pan or pot. Cook till the milk is reduced a bit. Keep stirring occasionally to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pan.
• Now add the lauki to the milk and cook for 8-10 minutes stirring often.
• Add sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with your favorite nuts and serve either at room temperature or chilled.

Enjoy !!