Wedding Style Bottle Gourd Halwa Recipe | Sorakaya Halwa Recipe

Instructions

1. Prepare Bottle Gourd: 1. Peel and deseed the bottle gourd. 2. Grate it using a big-holed grater. 3. Squeeze out all the water from the grated bottle gourd and set it aside.
2. Reduce the Milk: 1. Boil 1.5 litres of full-fat milk in a heavy-bottomed pan. 2. Keep stirring constantly on high flame to prevent sticking and reduce it to approximately 350 ml. 3. Set aside the thickened milk.
3. Fry the Nuts: 1. Heat 1/3 cup ghee in a pan. 2. Add the chopped almonds, cashews, and raisins. 3. Fry until golden and aromatic, then remove and keep them aside.
4. Cook the Bottle Gourd: 1. In the same pan, add the squeezed bottle gourd. 2. Cook on medium flame until all the moisture evaporates, stirring occasionally.
5. Add Sugar: 1. Add 1.1/3 to 1.1/2 cups of sugar to the cooked bottle gourd. 2. Mix well and cook on medium flame for 10 minutes, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.
6. Incorporate Reduced Milk: 1. Pour the reduced milk into the halwa mixture. 2. Stir well and cook for 5–7 minutes on medium flame until the halwa absorbs the milk and reaches a luscious consistency.
7. Finish the Halwa: 1. Add a pinch of green food colour (optional) for a festive touch. 2. Mix in the fried nuts and 2 tbsp ghee. 3. Sauté the halwa for a few more minutes to enhance the aroma and taste.
8. Serve: 1. Serve the Sorakaya Halwa warm, garnished with a few extra nuts for an authentic wedding-style presentation.