Lauki ki Kheer recipe is a delicious, easy to make Indian style pudding made with bottle gourd, milk and sugar and infused with saffron, cardamom and topped with dried fruits in Instant pot pressure cooker or stove top

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 small lauki (bottle gourd) ((about 1 cup, tightly packed))
  • 1 tablespoon ghee (or a neutral flavored oil)
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup sugar (or add as required)
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour ((or khoya), optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 1 pinch saffron strands soaked in warm milk (optional)
  • 1-2 tablespoons slivered almonds (for garnish)

Method

Instant Pot Method:

  1. Firstly, peel the skin, remove the seeds if any, and grate lauki using a medium-sized blade.
  2. Then 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Then add milk, almond flour/meal (optional), sugar to the Instant Pot. Give a quick stir. Close the lid, and turn the pressure valve to SEALING position.
  5. Close the lid with valve position to ‘Sealing’. Press Porridge button for 10 minutes on high pressure. Once the pot beeps, allow Natural Pressure Release.
  6. Lastly, stir in the saffron milk, cardamom powder, and nuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens a bit.
  7. Instant pot Bottle Gourd Kheer/Pudding is Ready. Serve hot or chilled. Note: The kheer will continue to thicken as it cools down.

Stovetop Pot Method:

  1. In a heavy bottom pan add ghee into the pot, once hot add shredded lauki/bottle gourd and fry them in the ghee for about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Next add milk, almond powder. Give a quick stir.
  3. Cook on medium flame for about 10 to 12 minutes till milk thickens or till the gourd is fully cooked, stir occasionally.
  4. Add sugar, saffron milk, cardamom powder to this mixture and cook on a medium flame for another 2-3 minutes or until it thickens a bit.
  5. Bottle Gourd Kheer/Pudding is ready. Serve hot or chilled.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

  1. If you are making below mentioned quantity use a larger pressure cooker just to avoid spilling of the milk. Follow the same recipe. Pressure cook the kheer in medium flame for two to three whistles.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.