To begin making the Gil-E-Firdaus Recipe (Creamy & Sweet Bottlegourd Pudding), wash and soak sago for 1 hour.

Wash basmati rice with clean water and pat to dry. Spread rice on a clean muslin cloth for 30-40 minutes under fan and allow it to dry. Once the rice is dry, grind to coarse powder.

In a heavy bottom cooking pan, add ghee and roast the slivered almonds. Once they turn light golden using a slotted spoon remove the almonds on to kitchen paper towel and set aside.

In the same ghee add grated bottle gourd and on medium flame saute for 2-3 minutes until the bottle gourd begins to leave its liquids. At this stage add half of milk and 1-1/2 cups of water to bottle gourd and cook until bottle gourd is soft. 

In another heavy bottom pan, add remaining milk, add the coarsely ground rice along with soaked sago and cook till done. Take care to keep stirring this mixture so it does not burn the bottom of the pan.

To the sago and rice mixture, add condensed milk, cardamom powder, almond powder, vanilla essence and the boiled milk and bottle gourd mixture. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients well. 

Cook on low flame and stir until everything combines together. Cook till you get kheer like consistency. If the mixture is getting too thick, then you can add 1/2 cup milk or water to give it a better consistency.

Once done, turn off the heat and transfer the Gil-E-Firdaus  to a serving bowl. 

Garnish the Gil-E-Firdaus with golden fried slivered almonds and edible silver leaf.

The Gil-E-Firdaus (Creamy & Sweet Bottlegourd Pudding) taste best when served chilled.