Ash Gourd Halwa /Vellai Poosanikai Halwa / Thadiyangai Halwa/ Kaasi Halwa

This halwa is a tasty, sticky treat containing the positive-pranic and healthful ash gourd. In my yoga system my guru always ask us to consume ash-guard. Daily consumption of ash gourd greatly enhances one’s intellectual capabilities. During summer we used to add ash-guard in our salads. Consuming ash-guard juice also taste well. During my childhood, my mom used to make this halwa often and I love to consume it when it is hot.

Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time : 1 hour
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

Ash gourd (white pumpkin), peeled, grated & squeezed: 300-400 gm
Ghee: 4 tablespoon ghee
Cashews: 10
Dry grapes/ kismis- 5 nos
Sugar:  300-400 gm
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp
Saffron  - 3/4 teaspoon
Edible camphor (Pachai Karpooram) - 1 pinch (optional)
Salt - 1 pinch

Method

1. Squeeze the grated ash gourd pulp by hand to remove excess liquid or, alternatively, allow the pulp to sit in a sieve/colander for some time until the juice runs out. It is most important step, that helps in getting crunchiness in halwa.



2. Heat pan and add 1/2 of the squeezed pumpkin water and allow it to boil. Add pumpkin pulp to it and mix well and saute it for 5 mins.



3. Add sugar to it. Sugar quantity should be equal to the weight of pumpkin pulp.



4. When sugar dissolves, add saffron to boiling mixture. When 3/4 of water evaporates, add 3 tablespoon ghee and cardamom powder.



5. Cook by stirring continuously, until the halwa begins to leave the sides of the pan and becomes a homogeneous mass. Add pinch of salt at this stage and stir well.



6. In a separate pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee and fry kismis and cashew. Add fried cashews to halwa and mix well.

Simple, Yummy and tasty Ash-Guard halwa is ready to be served.