Sorakkai / Bottle Gourd Paneer Halwa ~ Day 154

Sorakkai / Bottle Gourd cooked with milk and sugar and garnished with a liberal dose of cashews and raisins.   Typically, Khoya is used to make this halwa.  All I had in hand was the good old paneer.  I didn't have to think much and added the Panner to the dish.  And end product was nothing but delicious and drool worthy.

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

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Ingredients:

• Sorakkai / Lauki / Bottle Gourd - 1 large, peeled and shredded, about 3 cups
• Boiled and cooled Milk - 2 cups
• Paneer - 1 cup, shredded
• Sugar - 1/2 cup 
• Cashews - 10, broken
• Raisins - 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Ghee / clarified butter - 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a large deep skillet.   Add the shredded bottle gourd/sorakkai and saute for 3 minutes.  Add the milk and stir well.  Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer.  Cook the bottle gourd until the milk evaporates to 3/4 the original quantity, stirring often.
2. Add the paneer and sugar.  Cook until the mixture becomes thick with no trace of milk.  The halva should be dry and sticky by now with little moisture.  
3. Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a small skillet and fry the cashews and raisin until golden brown.  Add it to the halva along with cardamom powder.  Stir well and remove from the heat.
4. Serve warm.