Ridge Gourd Kheer

Ingredients

• 4 servings little cardamom powder 
• 4 servings cashew pieces as needed for garnishing
• 5  cashew pieces whole with the vegetable)
• 2 Tablespoons condensed milk 
• 4 servings purple gel food coloring green as needed
• 2 cups milk ) for cooking the ridge gourd (i used skim milk instead of water
• 2 Teaspoons ghee the nuts for frying
• 1  big ridge gourd 
• 1  to 2 cups water for cooking the ridge gourd
• 0.3  to per your taste sugar

Equipment

• frying pan
• blender
• immersion blender

Directions

1. Wash the ridge gourd under running water and peel the coarse ridges. Discard it and then peel the skin and save it for grinding chutney.
2. Cut the gourd into small pieces. I pressure cooked the gourd, 2 cups of skim milk and 5 cashews for 2 whistles.While the ridge gourd is cooking, boil the 4 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed vessel.Wait for the pressure to release and grind the cooked vegetable in a blender. I used an immersion blender and got a very smooth ridge gourd puree.
3. Add this puree to the boiling milk and let it cook for another 10 minutes or until you are not able to smell the vegetable. Keep stirring once in a while so that the bottom of the vessel does not scorch.
4. Add the condensed milk, sugar and cardamom powder and the food color if you wish.
5. Let this mixture simmer for a while.Meanwhile heat the ghee in a small frying pan and fry cashews, raisins and add it to the kheer.
6. Serve it hot or cold.