Kasi Halwa Recipe | White Pumpkin Halwa

White Pumpkin Halwa / Kasi Halwa Recipe with stepwise pics and a short YouTube video. If you like my video, please SUBSCRIBE to my youtube channel. This Kasi Halwa is prepared from white pumpkin or Ash gourd in English, Poosanikai in Tamil, Petha in Hindi, Kumbalanga in Malayalam but it is in no way related to the place Kasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, so puzzling, isn’t it! Also, this halwa is so easy to prepare, not loads of ghee or khoya or any special ingredients are required, just the grating part of the ash gourd sucks time. It has a beautiful, glossy look with just 2 tbsp of ghee and the addition of edible camphor lends a divine aroma to the halwa, which also suppresses the raw small of the veggie if there are any traces. This halwa takes a special place in Tamil weddings and famous in the Udupi region of Karnataka too. If interested, check my Papaya Halwa, Carrot Halwa, and Beetroot Halwa recipes.

Check my other Diwali sweet recipes like
1. Badushah / Balushahi
2. Adhirasam / Ariselu
3. Kalakand
4. Krishna Sweets Mysore Pak
5. Rose Coconut Ladoo
6. Suzhiyan / Suzhiyam

Ash Gourd Halwa

Kasi Halwa Recipe | White Pumpkin Halwa

Priya Santhamohan

White Pumpkin Halwa / Kasi Halwa Recipe is prepared from white pumpkin or Ash gourd. Also, This halwa takes a special place in Tamil weddings and famous in the Udupi region of Karnataka too.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Dessert, Diwali Recipes, Halwa Recipes, Sweet

Cuisine Indian

Servings 3 People

Calories 228 kcal

Equipment

• Stovetop
• Non Stick Pan

Ingredients

  

1 Cup = 250 ML, 1tsp = 5 ML

• 2 Cups Ash Gourd
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 10 Cashew
• 2 Pods Cardamom
• 1 Small Pinch Edible Camphor
• Few Strands Saffron

Instructions

 

• Remove the seeds, then the bottom green part from the ash gourd, and discard it. Then, rinse it thoroughly.
• Grate it using a vegetable grater. Don't use a cheese grater or grind it in a mixer, it never works. Keep a bowl underneath lined by a muslin cloth. Then, transfer the grated ash gourd to the muslin cloth.
• Gather the edges of the cloth and squeeze it to remove the excess water from the ash gourd. Don't discard the water, I used it to cook the ash gourd in the next few steps.
• Then, measure and keep all the other ingredients ready.
• Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan, then add the cashews and cardamom pods. Fry until golden color and keep it separately.
• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in the same pan and add the grated ash gourd. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes at low flame, till the ash gourd, shrinks in volume, and the raw smell leaves. Pour the water squeezed from the ash gourd, I got 1 cup, if needed add 1/2 more cup of water.
• Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes at low flame, by stirring in the middle frequently and till the water evaporates (not fully dry, slightly moist). Ensure the ash gourd is cooked well before adding sugar, else it never turns soft afterward. Then, add the sugar in a sprinkled way. The sugar melts and the mixture starts to loosen. If, preferred, add 1 pinch of yellow food color.
• Add 1 tbsp of ghee and continue the cooking at low flame. Now, add the fried cashews, cardamom pods, and edible camphor.
• Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, the ghee separates and the halwa leaves the sides of the pan. Once the halwa is in a slight dripping consistency itself, switch off the flame immediately. Don’t cook furthermore, else the halwa turns chewy.

  Try this Kasi Halwa Recipe for this Diwali festival.

Video

Notes

Tips for White Pumpkin Halwa

1. Use fresh ash gourd for a tasty Kasi Halwa Recipe. Don't use the aged one, as there will be not much water content in it, and in tastewise it differs.
2. Remove the seeds and the green part thoroughly and discard it.
3. Use a grater with a big hole. Never use a cheese grater or grind it in a mixer, it never works.
4. Squeeze the water completely from the ash gourd, so it will be easy to cook.
5. I used the water squeezed from the ash gourd to cook the same, so the nutritional value will not be lost. 
6. Use a heavy-bottomed pan/nonstick pan otherwise, the halwa gets burnt at the bottom.
7. Saute the ash gourd well, to get rid of the raw smell in it.
8. Ensure the ash gourd is cooked completely before adding sugar, else it won't get cooked afterward.
9. The addition of food color is optional but it lends a vibrant look to the White Pumpkin Halwa. If skeptical of using food color, add few strands of saffron.
10. The addition of edible camphor helps to suppress the smell of the veggie. But don't add more than mentioned else the halwa tastes bitter.
11. Switch off the flame immediately after the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and is in slight dripping consistency itself. Don't cook furthermore, as the halwa turns hard and chewy.
12. If the halwa turns sticky, add 1 or 2 tsp of ghee.
13. This halwa stays good for 1 week under refrigeration, but warm it before serving.

Keyword Kasi Halwa Recipe, Poosanikai Halwa Recipe, White Pumpkin Halwa

White Pumpkin Halwa

Method for Kasi Halwa Recipe

1. Remove the seeds, then the bottom green part from the ash gourd, and discard it. Then, rinse it thoroughly.

2. Grate it using a vegetable grater. Don’t use a cheese grater or grind it in a mixer, it never works. Keep a bowl underneath lined by a muslin cloth. Then, transfer the grated ash gourd to the muslin cloth.

3. Gather the edges of the cloth and squeeze it to remove the excess water from the ash gourd. Don’t discard the water, I used it to cook the ash gourd in the next few steps.

4. Then, measure and keep all the other ingredients ready.

5. Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan, then add the cashews and cardamom pods. Fry until golden color and keep it separately.

6. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in the same pan and add the grated ash gourd. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes at low flame, till the ash gourd, shrinks in volume, and the raw smell leaves. Pour the water squeezed from the ash gourd, I got 1 cup, if needed add 1/2 more cup of water.

7. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes at low flame, by stirring in the middle frequently and till the water evaporates (not fully dry, slightly moist). Ensure the ash gourd is cooked well before adding sugar, else it never turns soft afterward. Then, add the sugar in a sprinkled way. The sugar melts and the mixture starts to loosen. If, preferred, add 1 pinch of yellow food color.

8. Add 1 tbsp of ghee and continue the cooking at low flame. Now, add the fried cashews, cardamom pods, and edible camphor.

9. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, the ghee separates and the halwa leaves the sides of the pan. Once the halwa is in a slight dripping consistency itself, switch off the flame immediately. Don’t cook furthermore, else the halwa turns chewy.

Try this Kasi Halwa Recipe for this Diwali festival.

Kasi Halwa Recipe