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Kashi halwa placed in a blue bowl.
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5 from 42 votes

Kashi Halwa (Ash Gourd Halwa)

Kashi halwa or ash gourd halwa is an easy dessert made with three main ingredients - ash gourd, sugar and ghee.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Gluten Free, Hindu, Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Calories: 200kcal
Author: Shilpa Kerur

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Wash and peel ash gourd. Grate it using a food processor or box grater.
  • Transfer to a thick-bottom pan along with all its liquid.
  • Cook for 20-25 minutes until the ash gourd is cooked and it dries up, stirring occasionally.
  • Add sugar and saffron. Mix and let it cook for 8-10 minutes or until the sugar completely dissolves.
  • The sugar will release some water and thicken. Keep stirring occasionally.
  • Add ghee and mix well. Simmer until the ghee starts to release from the sides.
  • Add cardamom powder and mix well.
  • In a small pan, heat one teaspoon of ghee and add cashews. Fry until they are golden.
  • Add the fried cashew to the halwa. Serve warm.

Notes

The ash gourd I used in this recipe was approximately 1 kg. After peeling the skin, it gave me just over 5 cups of grated ash gourd. The sugar and ghee I have used are according to this quantity. Grate the ash gourd and measure it to adjust the other two ingredients. Also, the amount of sugar gives me a mildly sweet halwa, as I prefer it. If you like your halwa to be on the sweeter side, increase the amount of sugar accordingly
Grate the vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking. Finely grated winter melon cooks faster and blends more seamlessly into the dish.
Ghee adds flavor and richness to Kashi halwa. Do not cut back on it.
Stir the mixture regularly while cooking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. This is especially important as the mixture thickens. Dumrot is cooked on low to medium heat for consistency and flavor. Rushing the cooking process can result in uneven cooking or burnt flavors.
Dumrot is traditionally served warm or at room temperature. The flavors are more pronounced and enjoyable when it's not too hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 0.03IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg