Kadu Ka Halwa- Opo Squash/Bottle Gourd Dessert
If you think how can one make a dessert from a vegetable, think of all the exotic desserts like Gajar/ Carrot Halwa, Pumpkin Pie, etc …. Well Kadu ka Halwa is another interesting dessert which can be made in summer when the vegetable grows in plenty and known to have cooling properties, perfect for hot weather. Kadu Kheer or Dil-E-Firdous is another popular dessert made from this same vegetable. The Kadu Halwa can be eaten alone as dessert or eaten with fresh parathas/rotis.
Author: Admin
Cuisine: Indian
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 8
Prep time:
Total time:
Ingredients
- 3 c grated kadu/ bottle gourd/ opo squash/
- 1⁄2 c clarified butter or ghee
- 1 c sugar to taste
- 10 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 4 cardamom
- 1 cinnamon
- 2 T slivered almonds
- 10 cashews
- 10 raisins
- 1 pn green food color
Instructions
- Thick bottom pots are great for slow cooking desserts. I used my thick cast iron enamel coated green pot to make my green dessert. First step, warm the clarified butter/ghee and fry almonds and cashews till golden brown. The raisins need to be fried and removed quickly. Set aside these dry fruits to garnish later.
- Kadu/ Opo Squash have to be skinned and cut into half vertically. The white pulp and seeds in the core center can be set aside* and the chunky green squash can be grated. Let the grated kadu/ bottle guard sit in a sieve for sometime to drain out the water in the vegetable. Further squeeze the grated vegetable making balls with your fist. This squeezes out a lot more water.
- In the pot with ghee add the cinnamon sticks and cardamom for flavor. Next step, add the grated kadu/squash and slow cook and sauté on low flame, stirring occasionally. Cook till all kadu/ squash is soft and all moisture is reduced. A pleasant aroma starts to emanate at this point.
- When the kadu is soft and looks cooked, add the condensend milk and cook further while stirring occasionally. Next add sugar to the desert and stir and cook further, till the ghee in the recipe starts to separate and come up. Lastly add a pinch of green color mixed in a table spoon of milk, to give it a pleasant green color of the kadu or opo squash.
- Garnish with the slivered almonds, cashews and raisins. Serve warm.
Notes
Kadu/ Lauki/ Dhoodi or Opo Squash/ Bottle gourd grows well and in plenty during summer. In spite of sharing with neighbors and friends, I have enough growing in my backyard to create new and variant recipes with this vegetable. Enjoying this cooking adventures, I made this easy variation of the dessert -Kadu Halwa. Do try and give feedback.
* the white pulp core in the kadu or bottle gaurd also can be sauted into a curry. Recipe will be updated soon.
Serving Size
Serving size: 8
