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Gil-e-firdaus (Hyderabadi bottle gourd and rice pudding)
Rich pudding of grated bottle gourd and ground rice cooked in milk with khoya and rose water
The name means 'clay of paradise', and gil-e-firdaus belongs to the grand dessert tables of Hyderabad, served at weddings, at Eid and during Ramadan iftars alongside double ka meetha. Grated bottle gourd (lauki) is softened in ghee, then cooked in milk with coarsely ground rice and crumbled khoya until thick, pale green and fragrant with cardamom and rose water. It's thicker than a kheer, creamy and gently grainy, with soft strands of gourd and plenty of almonds and pistachios. Serve it warm in winter or chilled in summer, in small bowls. It is naturally egg-free: the ground rice and khoya do the thickening, giving it the richness a custard would. Chef's tip: squeeze the grated gourd well and add the sugar only once the rice is cooked; sugar added too early is the common mistake that stops the rice softening and leaves the pudding runny.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅜ oz basmati rice
- 10 ½ oz bottle gourd (lauki)peeled, seeded and finely grated
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 3 ½ oz khoya (milk solids)crumbled
- 4 oz sugar
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp rose water
- ⅔ oz almondsslivered
- ½ oz pistachiosslivered
- 1 tbsp dried rose petals (optional)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Soak 1 ⅜ oz basmati rice in water for 20 minutes, drain, and grind to a coarse, semolina-like texture.
20 minStep 2: Squeeze the grated 10 ½ oz bottle gourd (lauki) firmly in your hands to remove the water.
Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan over a medium heat and fry the gourd for 5–6 minutes, until it softens and smells sweet without browning.
6 minStep 4: Pour in 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk and bring to the boil, stirring.
8 minStep 5: Stir in the ground rice and simmer over a medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't catch, until the rice is soft and the milk has thickened.
18 minStep 6: Add 3 ½ oz khoya (milk solids) and stir until it melts into the milk, about 5 minutes.
5 minStep 7: Add 4 oz sugar and cook for 8–10 minutes more, stirring, until the pudding is thick enough to leave a trail when you drag a spoon through it.
10 minStep 8: Turn off the heat and stir in ½ tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp rose water and half of ⅔ oz almonds and ½ oz pistachios.
Step 9: Serve warm or chilled, topped with the rest of the nuts and 1 tbsp dried rose petals if using.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gil-e-firdaus (Hyderabadi bottle gourd and rice pudding) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of basmati rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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