Kasi Halwa is an authentic South Indian dessert made with white pumpkin, sugar and ghee. You can find this in most of the weddings and it is also made at home during festivals. This recipe uses simple ingredients and the resulting glossy halwa can be prepared within 30 minutes. Come, let’s see how to make this perfect recipe at home with easy method and step by step pictures.
Kasi Halwa | Ash gourd Halwa | Poosanikkai Halwa
Ingredients
- Grated Ash gourd/ Poosanikkai – 1 cup
- Squeezed ash gourd water- 1/4 cup
- Sugar- 1/2 cup
- Ghee- 4 tsp
- Cashew- 4
- Saffron- a pinch
- Yellow/ Orange food colour – a drop (optional)
Directions
- Preparation: Cut the ash gourd into slice like that of a watermelon and remove the green skin and seeds. Grate it carefully as it has too much of water content and makes it difficult (I used a small hole grater and it almost became like a paste with tiny gratings: but it was easier to cook). Squeeze the pumpkin gently with your hands and collect the juice and set aside.
- Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan and fry the cashew till golden and remove it on a plate. To the same pan, add the grated pumpkin and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the squeezed water and close and cook until soft (takes about 5-6 minutes in medium flame for small gratings and if your gratings are medium, cook for longer time until done)
- When the pumpkin is completely cooked, add sugar and mix well to dissolve completely. It becomes little watery at this stage
- Add the saffron and mix, it gives a natural golden yellow colour to the halwa. (NOTE: If you like the orange/ deep yellow colour of the traditional Kasi Halwa served in weddings, add a pinch of food colour to 1 tsp of water/ gel colour directly and add to the pumpkin)
- Add the cardamom and 1 tsp ghee at a time and keep mixing until it becomes shiny and comes together and doesn’t stick to the pan
- Finally add the roasted cashew and switch off the flame and mix well Serve hot. Delicious glossy Kasi Halwa is ready to eat!
Notes
- In South Indian weddings, orange food colour is added to the Kasi Halwa.
- I used a drop of yellow food colour by mistake, the natural golden colour itself looks beautiful.
- You can grate the ash gourd using large hole grater as well; but it would take some more time to get cooked
- Do not get tempted to add more ghee as the excess ghee will float in the top
- Serve hot on banana leaf to get the wonderful wedding flavour. Even if banana leaf is unavailable, serve hot.
How to make Kasi Halwa?
1. Preparation: Cut the ash gourd into slice like that of a watermelon and remove the green skin and seeds. Grate it carefully as it has too much of water content and makes it difficult (I used a small hole grater and it almost became like a paste with tiny gratings: but it was easier to cook). Squeeze the pumpkin gently with your hands and collect the juice and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan and fry the cashew till golden and remove it on a plate. To the same pan, add the grated pumpkin and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add the squeezed water and close and cook until soft (takes about 5-6 minutes in medium flame for small gratings and if your gratings are medium, cook for longer time until done)
4. When the pumpkin is completely cooked, add sugar and mix well to dissolve completely. It becomes little watery at this stage
5. Add the saffron and mix, it gives a natural golden yellow colour to the halwa. (NOTE: If you like the orange/ deep yellow colour of the traditional Kasi Halwa served in weddings, add a pinch of food colour to 1 tbsp of water and add to the pumpkin)
6. Add the cardamom and 1 tsp ghee at a time and keep mixing until it becomes shiny and comes together and doesn’t stick to the pan
7. Finally add the roasted cashew and switch off the flame and mix well Serve hot. In South Indian weddings, orange food colour is added to the Kasi Halwa. Delicious glossy Kasi Halwa is ready to eat!
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