Bottle Gourd Halwa or Lauki ka halwa is a rich Indian dessert recipe made with freshly shredded bottle gourd, milk, and sugar with a generous amount of ghee in an Instant pot Pressure cooker or stovetop. This Lauki halwa can be made vegan and keto-friendly.
I have prepared this Lauki Halwa recipe in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.
There are many names for Bottle Gourd. In some other Indian languages, it's also called lauki, dudhi, ghiya, sorekai, sorakaya. They are also known as Cucuzza, Calabash, Opo Squash in other countries.
Also, if you like this bottle gourd recipe, check Lauki Chana Dal, Lauki Sabji, Lauki Paratha, and Lauki Soup.
How to Make Lauki Halwa in Instant Pot
Peel the skin, remove the seeds, if any, and grate lauki using a medium-sized blade.
Clean the Instant pot thoroughly – the steel pot, lid, and sealing ring. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it else, milk may curdle.
Press SAUTE button on Instant Pot. Add ghee to the pot. Once hot, add the grated lauki, and saute for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Then add milk and mix well.
Close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set the timer to 2 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, allow 5 minutes natural pressure release, then do a QUICK RELEASE.
Open the lid and Turn the pot to SAUTE (HIGH) again.
Then add sugar, almond flour/meal, or khoya and cook until all the milk has been reduced (evaporated). It appx takes another 5-6 minutes.
Note: I have added a drop of organic plant-based green food color, but it's optional.
Lastly, add cardamom powder and nuts. Mix well. Press Cancel. Bottle Gourd Halwa will thicken as it cools down.
Stovetop Pot Method
- In a heavy bottom pan, add ghee into the pot, once hot, add shredded lauki/bottle gourd, and saute them in the ghee for about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add milk. Give a quick stir.
- Cook on medium-low flame for about 10 minutes till the milk thickens or till the gourd is fully cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Add sugar, almond flour to this mixture, and cook on a medium flame for another 2-3 minutes or until it thickens a bit.
- Lastly, add cardamom powder and nuts. Mix well. Turn off the gas. Bottle Gourd Halwa is Ready. Serve hot or chilled.
Variations & Tips
- If you dont have cardamom, replace it with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- To make the halwa richer you can add condensed milk after the pressure cooking and adjust sugar quantity accordingly.
- You can also make lauki ka halwa with khoya or dry milk powder instead of almond flour/meal to thicken and enhance the flavor.
- I have added 1-2 drops of organic plant-based green food color, but feel free to skip it.
- Sanitize the Instant Pot steel insert lid, and sealing ring before making sweet to avoid curdling of milk. I always keep an extra sealing ring for sweets separately.
FAQs
Yes, Replace dairy milk with almond milk and ghee with coconut oil or neutral oil.
To make keto bottle gourd halwa recipe, use unsweetened almond milk or half and half instead of dairy milk. Also, make sure to use stevia or monkfruit keto sugar instead of regular refined sugar.
More Dessert Recipes
Instant Pot Lauki Halwa
Ingredients
Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250 ml
- 2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
- 2 cups lauki (bottle gourd) peeled and shredded
- ½ cup full fat milk (or unsweetened almond milk)
- ¼ cup sugar or stevia (adjust as per your taste)
- ¼ cup almond flour (or khova/khoya)
- ⅛ teaspoons cardamom powder
- 2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds or pistachios
- 1-2 drops green food color optional
Instructions
- Peel the skin ,remove the seeds if any and grate lauki using medium sized blade.
Instant Pot Method:
- Clean the Instant pot thoroughly – the steel pot, lid and sealing ring. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it else milk may curdle.
- Press SAUTE button. Add ghee into the pot ,once hot add the grated lauki and saute for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add milk and mix well.
- Close the lid on the pot.Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 2 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps,Allow 5 minutes natural pressure release ,then do a QUICK RELEASE.Open the lid and Turn the pot to SAUTE(HIGH) again.
- Then add sugar, almond flour/meal or khoya and cook until all the milk has been reduced(evaporated).It appx takes another 5-6 minutes.Note:I have added a drop of organic plant based green food color but its totally optional.
- Lastly add cardamom powder and nuts. Mix well. Press Cancel. Bottle Gourd Halwa will thicken as it cools down.
Stovetop Pot Method:
- In a heavy bottom pan add ghee into the pot ,once hot add shredded lauki/bottle gourd and saute them in the ghee for about 2-3 minutes.
- Next add milk .Give a quick stir.
- Cook on medium low flame for about 10 minutes till milk thickens or till the gourd is fully cooked, stir occasionally.
- Add sugar, almond flour to this mixture, and cook on medium flame for another 2-3 minutes or until it thickens a bit.
- Lastly add cardamom powder and nuts.Mix well.Turn off the gas.Bottle Gourd Halwa is Ready.Serve hot or chilled.
Notes
Variations & Tips:
- If you dont have cardamom ,replace with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- To make the halwa more rich you can add condensed milk after the pressure cooking and adjust sugar quantity accordingly.
- You can also add khoya or dry milk powder instead of almond flour/meal to thicken and enhance the flavor of the kheer.
- I have added 1-2 drops of organic plant based green food color ,but feel free to skip it.
- Sanitize the Instant Pot steel insert ,lid and sealing ring before making sweet to avoid curdling of milk.I always keep an extra sealing ring for sweets separately.
Nutrition
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Sharon says
how is this a keto recipe when you are adding sugar & milk?
Bhavana Patil says
Thanks for reaching out Sharon, do check out the FAQ section where I have answered it.