• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ministry of Curry logo

  • SHOP
    • The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook
    • Amazon Store
    • eBooks
    • Cooking Classes
    • Meal Plans
  • RESOURCES
    • Instant Pot 101
    • Air Fryer 101
    • Indian Cooking Tools
    • Cooking 101
    • Essential Indian Spices
    • Guide to Beans and Lentils
    • Holiday Shopping Guide
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Oven Recipes
    • Stove Top Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Desserts
    • Dinner
    • Salad
    • Snacks
    • Drinks
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Vegan
  • ABOUT
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
  • Cooking Classes
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Desserts » Gluten Free Desserts

    Instant Pot Dudhi Halwa | Lauki Halwa

    Published: May 10, 2021 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 16 Comments

    10166 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Dudhi Halwa is a popular Indian dessert made with grated bottle gourd also known as Lauki. This perfectly sweetened, creamy pudding is traditionally flavored with ground cardamom. In my EASY Instant Pot version, I use vanilla for a refreshing twist to this classic recipe.

    dudhi halwa served in 3 silver bowls
    Jump to:
    • Mom's Recipe
    • Buying Dudhi(Lauki)
    • Tips
    • Variations
    • Process
    • Storing
    • Recipe
    • To make the dudhi halwa vegan/dairy-free:
    • Substitutions 

    Mom's Recipe

    Dudhi Halwa is my Mom's all-time special dessert! I have so many memories of this dish. She made this more frequently than any other dessert. Sometimes she layered it over her special carrot halwa making it a heavenly treat. Adding a bit of vanilla is her creative twist that makes this dessert very refreshing. If you like the more traditional version, go ahead and add cardamom powder instead of vanilla.

    Dudhi or Lauki is a large gourd that is tender and juicy with 92% water content. This mild and versatile vegetable is a rich source of vitamins, calcium, and minerals.

    Buying Dudhi(Lauki)

    Lauki is available in Indian grocery stores as well as other Asian markets. Look for a relatively skinny dudhi with light green skin that is not bruised.

    dudhi halwa served in a silver bowl

    Tips

    It is easy to make the dudhi halwa vegan/dairy free:

    1. replace ghee with neutral cooking oil or vegan butter
    2. substitute low-fat milk with nut milk, like almond milk
    3. use non-fat dry milk powder instead of almond meal

    Variations

    • Use ricotta cheese or khoya instead of dry milk powder. This will make the halwa more creamy.
    • Stir in 1-2 drops of plant-based green food color along with the vanilla for a pretty green halwa.
    • For a nut-free dudhi halwa, simply skip the garnish of nuts and the halwa will still be as delicious.
    • Cardamom powder can be used instead of vanilla

    Process

    • Peel the Dudhi and then cut it into half in the middle. Then cut each half into 4 long wedges, this makes grating large dudhi easier.
    • If the dudhi is tender and fresh the inside will not have as many seeds and the white part will be firm. If you find that the seeds are larger or the white part is soft, you can cut the white part along with the seeds and discard them.
    • Set the Instant Pot to saute(normal) mode and heat ghee. Add grated dudhi and sauté for a minute. 
    • Add low-fat milk. Close Instant Pot with Pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook for 2 minutes followed by Quick Release (Natural Pressure Release works too). 
    • Set the Instant Pot to Saute(normal) mode. Mix the milk powder in the remaining half cup of milk and add it to the Instant Pot. You can also use ricotta cheese here.
    • Add sugar and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently until most of the liquids evaporate and the halwa thickens. If the halwa starts to splutter set the Instant Pot to Saute(less) mode and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. 
    • Stir in Vanilla, mix well, and turn the Instant Pot off. Halwa will thicken further as it cools down. Garnish with sliced almonds. Enjoy warm or chilled.

    Storing

    Dudhi halwa is a great make ahead dessert. It can be refrigerated up to 5 days. To reheat simply microwave.

    Do you enjoy Indian desserts? Here are few more recipes to try:

    • Carrot Halwa, A quick and easy Instant Pot recipe
    • Rice Kheer in the Instant Pot
    • Rava Coconut Ladoo, a traditional Maharashtrian dessert made for Diwali
    • Saranachi Puri, another one of mom's signature dessert

    ★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

    Recipe

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    dudhi halwa served in 3 silver bowls
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    4.39 from 26 votes

    Dudhi Halwa

    A delicious Indian dessert with grated bottle gourd, sugar and milk!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 235kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons ghee or any cooking oil
    • 4 cups packed Dudhi grated
    • 1 cup low fat milk divided (or almond milk)**
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 cup non-fat dry milk powder **
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla **
    • 1 tablespoon sliced almonds for garnish optional

    Instructions

    • Set the Instant Pot to saute(normal) mode and heat ghee. Add grated dudhi and sauté for a minute. Add half of the low-fat milk. Close Instant Pot with Pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook for 2 minutes followed by Quick Release (Natural Pressure Release works too). 
    • Set the Instant Pot to Saute(normal) mode. Mix the milk powder in the remaining half cup of milk and add it to the Instant Pot. 
    • Add sugar and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently until most of the liquids evaporate and the halwa thickens. If the halwa starts to splutter set the Instant Pot to Saute(less) mode and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. 
    • Stir in Vanilla, mix well and turn the Instant Pot off. Halwa will thicken further as it cools down. Garnish with sliced almonds. Enjoy warm or chilled.

    Video

    Notes

    Note - It is normal for the milk proteins to separate after pressure cooking. 

    To make the dudhi halwa vegan/dairy-free:

    1. replace ghee with neutral cooking oil or vegan butter
    2. substitute low-fat milk with nut milk, like almond milk
    3. use almond meal instead of milk powder 

    Substitutions 

    • Use ricotta cheese or khoya instead of dry milk powder. Add only half the milk if using this substitute. 
    • Almond flour can also be used instead of non-fat milk powder 
    • Stir in 1-2 drops of plant-based green food color along with the vanilla for a pretty green halwa
    • For a nut-free dudhi halwa, simply skip the garnish of nuts and the halwa will still be as delicious
    • Cardamom powder can be used instead of vanilla 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 586mg | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 356mg | Iron: 0.9mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    ♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
    Twitter Facebook Linkedin
    « Beans Poriyal | Green Beans Stir Fry
    8 Biryani Recipes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Sudhir Chauhan says

      September 04, 2017 at 10:25 am

      oh wow... look at the color...... its yummy......

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 04, 2017 at 4:52 pm

        Thank you Sudhir!

        Reply
    2. Flavia Pariciani says

      September 07, 2017 at 4:58 am

      I find very interesting that you suggest to substitued milk powder with almond meal. i don't like to use milk powder.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 07, 2017 at 8:17 am

        Hi Flavia! Thank you for stopping by. I am not a big fan of milk powder but I like using it as a lighter substitute for heavy cream. It works great in Halwa.

        Reply
    3. Megala says

      September 07, 2017 at 7:32 am

      Looks beautiful & tempting !

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 07, 2017 at 7:33 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Samantha Martin says

      September 26, 2017 at 10:58 am

      This would be so nice to win !!

      Reply
    5. Annie says

      December 18, 2019 at 4:57 pm

      Can I use sweetened condensed milk instead of the milk powder?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 18, 2019 at 11:08 pm

        yes! you may want to skip or reduce the sugar in the recipe and cook on saute mode a but longer as the halwa thickens after adding condensed milk

        Reply
    6. Bijal james says

      July 21, 2020 at 3:12 pm

      Can I use evaporated milk and almond powder instead of milk and milk powder?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 22, 2020 at 3:29 pm

        Sure you can!

        Reply
    7. Saadia says

      November 09, 2020 at 12:46 pm

      What kind of instant pot do you use?5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        November 10, 2020 at 10:20 am

        Instant Pot DUO 6 QT - I will link it in the recipe card.

        Reply
    8. Vaidehi Patel says

      January 14, 2021 at 7:46 pm

      How much ricotta to use instead of evaporated milk?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 15, 2021 at 7:25 pm

        I am not using evaporated milk in this recipe. You can substitute 1 cup of almond flour or dry milk powder with 1 cup of ricotta

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

    Learn More About Me!

    Archana's Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook

    SHOP

    Popular Posts

    • Mumbai Pav Bhaji
    • Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
    • Mushroom Masala
    • Homemade Pomegranate Juice

    Footer

    AS FEATURED IN

    ↑Back to Top

    Ministry of Curry

    Shop
    About
    Privacy Policy
    Accessibility
    Contact

    Food and Recipes

    Recipe Index
    Cooking 101
    Instant Pot 101
    Cookbook

    MOC Pro

    Dashboard
    Meal Plans
    Virtual Cooking Classes
    Tips & Tricks

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Ministry of Curry

    10166 shares
    • 140