Zucchini Halwa/Dudhi Halwa
Zucchini Halwa is an adaptation of lauki halwa or dudhi halwa.
Zucchini halwa is an Indian sweet or mithai made with bottle gourd or opo squash, whole milk, ghee, sugar and flavored with cardamom and garnished with nuts. Two most popular halwa are carrot or dudhi halwa.
Dudhi or Opo Squash has widely popular in Indian cuisine. We use it to make subji or shaak, parathas or desserts like this one. Zucchini is very similar or rather from same family of squashes, and so it works great in place of Opo Squash. You cannot taste the difference. Another famous variation of Halwa that’s easily available is Carror halwa or Gajar (Carrot) ka Halwa. The preparation is the same. These halwas are made with literally few ingredients like ghee, whole milk, sugar, cardamom powder, vegetable like carrots, squash, beetroots, sweet potato etc.
About Zucchini Halwa
The method of making halwa is same for every vegetable you choose. If you are making a huge batch, it can get tiring to keep stirring the halwa, but same batch comes together easily. The best part of carrot or Zucchini halwa is that you can easily make it ahead and freeze it. Take it out and warm it up in microwave and its ready to eat.
Indian mithais are based off lot of milk or milk products like Khoya. Its one of the very important ingredients. However, you can swap it for some coconut milk. It will have nuttier taste to it. Another important ingredient is ghee. The smell of ghee and cardamom are may be the best smells ever.
Some important tips
Use hand grater for this recipe – I have tried using food processor, but it ends up in getting different texture. It was slightly mushy. So, I highly recommend using hand grater and that too if you have a grater with bigger thicker holes. Its all about texture. Not too thick or not too thin grate.
We always use whole milk. Whole milk brings out the creaminess in this recipe and makes it decadent. So, highly recommend using whole milk.
Ghee is also not optional. Any Indian desserts are incomplete without the flavor or ghee. Another important ingredient is cardamom powder, you want that flavor in this dish.
The only ingredients that are optional are milk powder and nuts. Ideally nuts are added, but if you do not like them, just don’t add them. They do provide great textural contrast.
How to prepare Zucchini Halwa
Zucchini is roasted in ghee until it becomes soft and release most of the water. As it cooks further, milk is added for that creaminess. Milk is reduced and evaporated until the mixture looks dry. The whole process is about evaporating the juices or liquid released. So, that’s why everything is added at different steps and not altogether.
At the very end, it is sweetened with sugar being added. Some people also add khoya for extra creaminess, but my mom never added khoya. She would instead use extra milk than some other recipes, that eventually brings the creaminess too. However, I have added small amount of milk powder. Now, that’s optional. If you don’t have milk powder, then just avoid it. It will still taste awesome.
You need some hand muscles to make this, as you will need to continuously stir it. There are quicker ways to make it in instant pot. However, you must be careful to not burn the mixture because of milk.
I have tried the instant pot method; I still prefer stove top method.
It ‘s so good served warm in winters.
Just Zucchini in Ghee 
Consistency after milk is cooked down
Storage
Zucchini Halwa can be stored in the refrigerator easily for a week in an air-tight container.
It can be served warm or cold. If you want to warm it up, you can microwave it.
It can be frozen for about a month or two. Store it in an air-tight container. Thaw it and then proceed to enjoy it cold or warmed up.
Zucchini Halwa
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 3-4 tbsp cashews, sultanas or raisins, almond, pistachios
- 1 ½ -2 cups Zucchini shredded with skin
- 1 cup Whole milk
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup Sugar
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- ¼ cup milk powder
- Optional – rose petals, saffron, silver leaf
Instructions
- Wash the zucchini skin very well with water. Grate Zucchini with skin on using a grater or you can also use food processor. Hand grated is better for texture. Use larger holes of the grater.
- Heat up ghee in a heavy bottom pan on medium temperature. Once the ghee is slightly hot quickly stir the dry fruits and remove them. You just want to get them to brown a little bit. Do not burn them. Leave them aside.
- In same ghee, add grated Zucchini and keep stirring until all the moisture has evaporated or gone from the zucchini. Once the moisture is gone, add the milk and keep cooking until the mix is thickened and again the mixture has become dry. Keep stirring in between, do no leave it unattended.
- Once the milk has reduced, add in the sugar, cardamom powder and milk powder again keep stirring. Sugar will release some water, so it needs to be cooked further until the mixture is thickened and starts leaving the sides of the pan. You will also observe the ghee being released on the sides of the pan.
- You can keep the consistency to your liking if there is not too much water and sugar has dissolved completely.
- Mix in the cardamom powder, and ghee roasted nuts. Leave some nuts to garnish if you like.
- Optionally you can garnish the halwa with some dried rose petals, gold or silver leaf.
- Serve it warm or cold. It tastes good both ways. I love it warm.
Notes
- The amount of sweetness can be adjusted. Taste it once sugar has dissolved, to add more sugar.
- It stays well in the fridge for few days and can easily be frozen few a month.
- It can be served either warm or cold. If you want to warm it, microwave it for few seconds. It will release some ghee when you warm it up.