BOTTLE GOURD FUDGE- SIMPLY DIVINE AND GUILT FREE

“Simply divine”, is how I would describe bottle gourd fudge. Chewy, sweet succulent shreds of bottle gourd make guilt free sweet perfect to satiate the sweet cravings after meals.

My grandmother used to make it for herself during fasts. She would sprinkle kewra extract for flavour. I used cardamom. It is amazing how the humble bottle gourd transforms into a flavourful treat.

The KEWRA essence is the  flavouring derived from a variety of pandan, Pandanus fascicularis. It is extracted  from the male inflorescence of the plant. It is strongly floral. Concentrated oil made from pandanus flowers is used to flavor desserts and beverages in Indian cuisine

Bottle Gourd Fudge | Lauki ka Halwa

Ingredients

• 3 cups grated bottle gourd
• ½ litre milk
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• ½ cup milk powder
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder / kewra extract
• ¼  cup sliced pistachios
• ¼ cup blanched and sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Squeeze out excess water from grated lauki.
2. Take grated lauki in a thick bottom pan. Add milk and cook on medium flame.
3. When the mixture begins to look dry, dissolve milk powder in water and add to the pan. Cook till lauki becomes tender and the milk reduces in quantity.
4. Add powdered sugar and ghee. Cook  till the mixture becomes almost dry and attains halwa like consistency.
5. Add cardamom  powder. 
6. Let the halwa cool. Garnish with nuts and serve.