Doodhi Halva (White Gourd Halva)

• 1 kg: Fresh, seedless white gourd (preferably the thin,long variety)
• 4 bottles/ 1/4 kg: Milk or Khoya
• 2 cups: Sugar
• 8 pieces: Cardamoms (powdered)
• 5 drops: Rose Essence
• 6 piece: Almonds (sliced)
• 3 tsp: Ghee
• Silver Paper (optional)

1. Peel and grate white gourd.
2. 2ress gently to squeeze out all the water.
3. Put it in a kadai together with the ghee, on a high flame.
4. Stir, add milk, and keep stirring. (If khoya is used, powder it and add it to the white gourd.) Stir till it thickens.
5. Then add sugar and stir for another 15 minutes.
6. Remove from fire.
7. After 5 minutes, stir in the cardamom powder and rose essence.
8. Rub a little ghee on a serving dish and pour in the halva.
9. Decorate with almonds and silver paper.