Here is another custom recipe, this time a sweet and chewy dessert dish “Pumpkin Halwa”. The preparation uses jaggery as a sweetener along with grated coconut milk and ghee. I used minimal quantities of richness ingredients, to make this dish healthier. If you wish consider adding more of milk, ghee and coconut so that the halwa will be still more tastier.

Ingredients 

1. Pumpkin (Mathanga) grated : 2 cups
2. Milk              : 1 cup
3. Water             : ½ cup
4. Jaggery : ¾ cup
5. Cardamom powder : One big pinch
6. Ghee             :  Tbl sp.
7. Shredded coconut : ¼ cup
8. Almonds  : 10

Method

• In a sauce pan add the jiggery, ¾ cup of water and make a syrup and filter to remove any dirt.
• In a Kadai/ pan add 1 Table spoon of ghee and fry the almonds then add the coconut and fry the for another just about a minute ( no need for changing the color) just for avoiding the raw smell.
• In a thick bottom kadai/ pan add the milk and grated pumpkin together and keep the stove on and stir well.
• Now cover the pan and cook it until it becomes soft (will take about 5-7 minutes), make sure to open the lid occasionally and stir it.
• Once it is soft switch off the stove and smash the pumpkin without any lumps.
• Then add the jaggery syrup and turn on the stove.
• Keep on stirring the mixture, once the mixture started thickening, add the 2 Table spoon of ghee and stir it .
• Then add the almonds, cardamom powder and coconut into the mixture and stir it for about 20 -30 minutes.
• Once you see the mixture is thick and a big lumps in the center and ghee is oozing from the sides.
• Take it out and spread it in a greased plate.
• Allow the halwa to cool then cut into your desired shapes.

Notes:-

• May increase the quantity of coconut, ghee and jiggery for extra taste.
• Instead of milk can add coconut milk for more taste.