Kaddu Ki Kheer
Hyderabadi style bottle gourd pudding with sago and khoya.
About this dish
A crown jewel of Hyderabadi celebratory feasts, particularly at weddings, Kaddu Ki Kheer is a creamy, decadent pudding made from bottle gourd. Unlike North Indian versions, the Deccani style incorporates sago (sabudana) for a unique jelly-like texture and khoya for richness. It is traditionally finished with a drop of rose water or screwpine (kewra) essence and garnished with silver leaf (varq).
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 500g Bottle Gourd (Kaddu), peeled and grated (seeds removed)
- 1.5 Liters Full-fat Milk
- 50g Sago (Sabudana), soaked for 2 hours
- 150g Sugar (adjust to taste)
- 100g Khoya (Mawa), crumbled
- 2 tbsp Ghee
Flavoring and Garnish
- 1/2 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
- 2 drops Kewra Essence or Rose Water
- 20g Almonds, slivered
- 20g Pistachios, slivered
- A few strands of Saffron, soaked in warm milk
Method
- 1
Prepare the Sago
Drain the soaked sago and set aside. Ensure the pearls are soft to the touch; if they are still hard in the center, soak for another 30 minutes to ensure they cook evenly into transparent pearls later.
- 2
Sauté the Gourd
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the grated bottle gourd and sauté for 8-10 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the moisture evaporates, but do not let it brown.
- 3
Reduce the Milk
In a separate thick-bottomed pot, bring the milk to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until it reduces by about 1/4th of its original volume.
- 4
Cook the Kaddu in Milk
Add the sautéed bottle gourd to the boiling milk. Cook on medium heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the milk from scorching at the bottom of the pot.
- 5
Add the Sago
Incorporate the soaked sago pearls into the mixture. Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes until the pearls become completely translucent and float to the top.
- 6
Thicken with Khoya
Add the crumbled khoya and whisk gently to ensure no large lumps remain. This adds the characteristic grainy richness essential to a true Hyderabadi kheer.
- 7
Sweeten the Pudding
Add the sugar and stir until fully dissolved. The mixture will thin out slightly as the sugar melts, so cook for another 5 minutes until it thickens back to a coating consistency.
- 8
Infuse Aromatics
Turn off the heat. Stir in the cardamom powder, saffron milk, and kewra essence; the aroma should be delicate, not overpowering.
- 9
Final Garnish
Mix in half of the nuts while the kheer is warm. Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours.
Notes & variations
- Always use a grater with medium holes; if too fine, the gourd will turn to mush.
- To keep the color vibrant green, some chefs add a tiny drop of food coloring, though natural is preferred.
- Ensure the bottle gourd is not bitter by tasting a small piece before grating.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days; the texture thickens as it sits.
Serve with
Chilled on its own or alongside a spicy Hyderabadi Biryani to balance the palate.
Cook's note
Adding the sugar only after the gourd and sago are fully cooked prevents them from staying hard.