Winter melon (aka called as ash gourd or vellai poosani) is a watery vegetable. It is so versatile that it can be made into desserts or savory dishes. The halwa made with this vegetable is a very famous one and is also served at weddings. It is also called as Kasi halwa. I like this dessert. It has a very subtle taste. But satisfying. It is a different kind of experience, I should say. We all like this one in our family. This can be a great Neivedhyam during poojas instead of regular kheer. This halwa stores for 3 to 4 days at room temperature (if the temperature doesn't shoot up to 3 digits) and can be refrigerated too. Just warm it and serve. This is a crowd-pleaser and since this can be made ahead of time, it is a great dessert for parties and get-togethers.
It takes about an hour to make the halwa, but its all worth it. One important thing to be kept in mind is that cook it in its juice for a great flavor. When you shred, it gives out lots of juice. Don't discard for reducing cooking time. All the flavor will be lost. Cooking in its own juice gives the ultimate flavor.
I am posting this for A-Z Neivedhyam recipes Blogging Marathon. Check here to see what others are making for the #117 Blogging Marathon.
Ingredients
Makes 2 cups
Winter melon - 6 cups, shredded
Sugar - 1 and 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 1, crushed
Cashews and almonds - chopped, 1-2 tbsp
Ghee - 8 tsp
Orange food color - a pinch
Method
In a pan, add the grated winter melon with its juice and cook. It may take about 40 to 45 minutes for it to get cooked completely. Stir now and then. When it is completely cooked, add the sugar, orange food color, 3 tsp ghee, and crushed cardamom.
Mix well, continue to cook on a medium flame with stirring. After the addition of sugar, it may become watery, continue cooking until it reduces. Add another 3 tsp ghee and cook.
At one point, it will look glossy and almost all the water would have evaporated. This may be between 7-10 min after you add sugar. This is the perfect stage for halwa. The halwa will not stick to the spatula. (If you continue to cook, sugar will start to crystallize. So watch and remove it at this stage). Switch off the flame and can be transferred to a bowl. Let it cool.
In a small pan, heat 2 tsp ghee and fry the nuts to a golden brown color and add to the halwa.
Serve hot or warm.
Tips
Melon seeds can be toasted and added. They give great flavor too.
Add sugar after the wintermelon is cooked.
Saffron can be used instead of food color.
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