Ghiya Ki Kheer( Bottle Guard Pudding)

Kheer is one such pudding, which is fairly easy and quick to prepare.
Grated ghiya (Bottle gourd) is cooked in milk and flavored with cardamom powder, rose water and saffron.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium ghiya (Bottle gourd)
• 6 cups warm full cream milk
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 cup Sugar (adjust quantity according to taste)
• 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
• 1 tsp chironji
• A pinch of Saffron (kesar)
• 1 tbsp Rose water
• Few rose petals
• Almonds and cashew nuts finely chopped
• Few whole almonds for Garnishing

Method:

• Wash and cut the top and bottom of Bottle gourd; peel off the skin and grate it.
• Heat ghee in heavy bottom pan; add first crushed green cardamoms, when it starts changing its color add grated Bottle gourd and fry on medium heat till it is soft.
• Add warm milk and allow it to boil. Stir in chopped almonds and cashew nuts. Keep on stirring till the mixture becomes thick.
• Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder, rose water and saffron.
• Garnish with almonds, cardamom powder and rose petals.
• Serve chilled.

Do You Know:
Kheer is the most common dessert among the Indians prepared at the time of all the major festivals and celebrations.
Traditionally kheer is made with either rice or vermicelli boiled with milk and sugar; but variations are there and you can make kheer, using ingredients like ghiya, kaddu, apple, carrot, sweet potato etc., with different flavors like apricot, mango, fig, saffron and custard apple etc.
The term Kheer (used in Northern India) is derived from Sanskrit word 'Ksheer' (which means milk).