Pumpkin Halwa

Elena Butuc

I called it pumpkin halwa but it is a kind of pumpkin pie without the dough, or it would be like a pumpkin dessert with nuts. No matter how you call it, it's very tasty and easy to prepare. All pumpkin lovers will appreciate the recipe but, if you don't like it, you can find a similar recipe, the carrot halwa, absolutely fantastic!

I didn't add sweet cream to this pumpkin halwa, but you can, it won't spoil the taste at all. The nuts are a must, I like them rough and a little cooked or toasted in a pan without oil. They fit perfectly and complete the texture of the pumpkin. My Sofia enjoys it with great appetite, she is a big fan of pumpkin halwa, so your dwarfs might like it too.

Another observation, instead of sugar you can use any favorite sweetener and this way, turn the recipe into a low-carb one, a small seasonal treat for those who want to lose weight. Of course, in this case you have to be careful with the portion :)

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Ingredients

Metric US

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Pumpkin

700 g

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Butter

100 g

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Sugar

200 g

because it's halwa, it has to be sweeter, but adjust to taste or use another sweetener you like - coconut sugar, birch sugar, stevia etc.

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Cinnamon powder

1 tsp

and other spices of your choice - vanilla, nutmeg, ginger or cardamom - a little!

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Chopped Nuts

300 g

Step by step

I took a simple pie pumpkin, the more intense the color, the more colorful the halwa will be.

After I peeled it and removed the seeds, it weighed exactly 700g.

You can grate it, but I prefer to chop it in the food processor - it's faster, but it will also have a coarse texture, like the rice.

Melt the butter in a large deep frying pan (or a Dutch oven).

Toss in the chopped pumpkin.

Add your favorite sugar or other sweetener and stir the whole composition well.

Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring periodically. The cooking time also depends on the variety of the pumpkin, if it's watery or dry.

During cooking, the pumpkin releases juice and must be cooked until the juice disappears completely. If you move the spoon around into the pan, you will notice that there is no more juice at the bottom.

Here I think it's done and I recommend not cooking it for too long because it will turn into a puree. But it also depends on the taste - if you want it creamy, leave it longer, if you want it to feel a bit coarse, turn off the heat sooner.

Now add cinnamon and vanilla, plus other spices that you like, but don't overdo it.

Mix well and turn off the heat.

Distribute this pumpkin puree in small bowls/glasses. Because it's very hearty and complete, I recommend not filling the glasses too much, about 3 tablespoons are enough for 1 serving.

Allow to cool at room temperature.

Then cover with cling film or lids and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.

Before serving, definitely top with chopped nuts - walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts etc.

They are much better and tasty if quickly toasted in a dry pan (or oven) for 5 minutes to intensify their flavor. Then chop them a little with a knife or in a food processor, don't make nut flour!