Step-by-Step Guide to Rich Lauki Halwa with Silk and Dates

Lauki halwa doesn’t usually scream indulgence, but this version gets there without trying too hard. It keeps the core of the classic, grated bottle gourd slow-cooked in milk and ghee, but adds chopped dates for body and depth, and milk chocolate for a smooth finish. The chocolate isn’t dumped in for drama; it melts into the halwa at the end and rounds everything out. You’re not hiding the lauki, you’re just giving it a few upgrades that make it more than what people expect. Still traditional at the base, but richer, bolder, and a little more satisfying.

Rich Lauki Halwa with Silk and Dates

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bottle gourd (lauki), grated
• ¼ cup sugar, adjust to taste
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1½ cups full-fat milk
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp almonds, sliced
• 1 tbsp pistachios or cashews, sliced
• 5 to 6 soft dates, finely chopped or mashed
• ¼ cup Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk chocolate, chopped

Instructions:

1. Pour the milk into a wide, heavy-bottom pan or kadai and bring it to a boil. Keep the heat on a low flame until the milk reduces and it is quite thick. I do it until I grate the bottle gourd and fry it in ghee.
2. While the milk boils, rinse the bottle gourd well, peel it, and taste a piece to check if it is bitter or sour. Remove the seeds, then grate the lauki using a grater or a food processor.
3. Take a heavy-bottomed kadhai and heat 2½ tablespoons of ghee until melted.
4. Add the lauki and fry it in the ghee until the moisture in the vegetable dries up completely, around 7-10 minutes. Make sure to keep stirring in between so it doesn't burn.
5. While the lauki is sautéed, make sure the milk is still boiling and has thickened a bit.
6. Use the whisk to stir the milk and break up the cream. Once done, pour the hot milk into the hot lauki kadhai, and mix, cook it on a low to medium flame, stirring often, until it thickens further.
7. Stir in the chopped or mashed dates once most of the liquid is gone. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, letting the dates blend into the mixture.
8. Next, taste the halwa and adjust the sweetness and add the sugar, and keep cooking. Keep cooking until it turns quite mushy and thick.
9. Sprinkle cardamom powder over the halwa and then pour 1 teaspoon of the ghee. Mix it in and cook for a few more minutes.
10. Turn off the flame. While the halwa is still hot, add the chopped Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk chocolate. Let it sit for 30 seconds to soften, then stir until fully melted and blended in.
11. Switch off the stove and garnish the lauki ka halwa with sliced almonds, chopped cashews, and chopped pistachios. Serve iIt can be served warm or chilled.

Tips & Tricks:

• Use soft dates, not dry ones. Medjool or any plump, sticky variety works best. If your dates are firm or dry, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes and mash before adding. They should blend into the halwa, not sit there in chunks.
• Chop the chocolate into small. You want it to melt fast from the heat of the halwa, no direct heat. Big chunks take too long and don’t fully disappear into the mix.
• Taste the lauki raw. This sounds unnecessary, but it matters. If it’s bitter or sharp, don’t use it. No amount of sugar or chocolate can fix that.
• Don’t skip the milk reduction. It gives the halwa a dense, slow-cooked feel without needing khoya or cream. Let it simmer gently until it thickens; don’t rush this part.
• Adjust sugar only after adding dates and chocolate. Both are naturally sweet, and it’s easy to overdo the sugar if you add it too early.
• Add chocolate at the end, off the heat. If you mix it in while the flame’s still on, you risk cooking the chocolate, which can make the texture off and dull the taste.
• Reheat gently. If making ahead, reheat on low with a splash of milk or ghee. Microwave works too, but keep it short and stir halfway through.