Bottle Gourd Halwa, Sorakkai Halwa, Doodhi Halwa, Lauki Ka Halwa

          Since everybody is in a festival mood in India, celebrating Navarathri, thought I'll post a sweet recipe today. I regularly buy bottle gourd/ sorakkai/ lauki and everytime I usually make a subzi, curry or kootu with it, a side dish to go with rotis and rice. This is the first time I tried a sweet, a halwa with it, I haven't tasted this before so I didn't have any idea about it, but then, when I tasted the first spoon, I can tell you this, it was awesome, above all my expectations, simply too good..

Need To Have

• Grated Bottle Gourd - 11/2 cups
• Sugar - 3/4 cup
• Milk - 3/4 cup
• Ghee - 21/2 teaspoons
• Corn Flour - 1 tablespoon
• Cardamom/ Elaichi Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cashew Pieces - 1 tablespoon

Method

          Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee, add the cashew pieces, saute till golden, remove and keep. Add another 1/2 teaspoon ghee to the same pan, add the grated bottle gourd and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.

         Then add the milk and cook uncovered on reduced heat till all the milk is absorbed and the bottle gourd is cooked. Now add the sugar, corn flour mixed with little water, keep stirring and cook till it comes to a jam consistency.

          At this stage add the cardamom powder and the remaining 1 teaspoon ghee, mix it for a few seconds. Remove, add the cashew pieces, mix and serve warm or cold.

Note
Use bottle gourd which is tender and doesn't have much seeds, remove the seeds if any.
This halwa tastes good with this amount of sugar, if you like it less sugary, then reduce by a tablespoon.
I like my halwa warm, but it tastes equally good when chilled and can be refrigerated for at least 4 to 5 days.