It's fall season and if you have a sweet tooth then you'll want to try this traditional Pakistani Pumpkin Halwa {Gluten Free Dessert}. Seasonal pumpkin, milk, sugar, ghee {or cooking oil} and cardamom are all you really need. A few nuts and rose petals for the garnish and you have a beautiful holiday worthy dessert!
What Is Halwa
The word "Halwa" is a derivative of the Arabic word "halava" which means "sweet dish" or "sweet meat". A favorite in many countries, the first noted recipe is in the Arabic Kitab al Tabikh {The Book of Dishes}.
Based on history, the first halwa, a mixture of dates and milk, can be traced back to 7th Century Persia. From there it found its way to the Indian Subcontinent and today it is a popular Pakistani and North Indian Dessert.
Halwa can be made with seeds, nut, wheat or, as is popular in South Asia, seasonal vegetables and fruit! Some popular types are:
- Carrot Halwa
- Besan Halwa
- Sooji Halwa
- Almond Halwa
- Ash Gourd Halwa/Kasi Halwa/Kashi Halwa
- Chana Dal Halwa
Pumpkin Halwa
Also known as Kaddu Ka Halwa or Pethay Ka Halwa, this Pumpkin Halwa {Gluten free Dessert} is a childhood favorite. A delicious dessert that is made during fall and winter in Pakistan and North India, this sweet pumpkin recipe is not only delicious but is also a powerhouse of nutrition!
Health Benefits
- Helps Lower Blood Pressure
- Improves Eye health
- Is Great For Heart Health
- Helps Boost Immunity
The Ingredients
The ingredients in this recipe are simple, the emphasis in the recipe being on the cooking technique.
The Pumpkin
There are two main things to consider where the pumpkin is concerned; the type of pumpkin you use and how you prep it for cooking. You will find recipes that use white pumpkin, red pumpkin, golden pumpkin and small sugar pumpkins!
Traditionally, the halwa is made with ash gourd or white pumpkin, but since that's difficult to source here in America, I make mine with a variety called American_Tonda_Squash. It has a taste similar to that of butternut squash and I settled on this after a little trial and error as I liked the flavor and texture in my recipe.
The Milk
Most traditional recipes of the halwa call for a little milk, but I like to make mine with 1 cup per pound of the squash. It has a rich, creamy and dense texture unlike the usual translucent version you may be familiar with.
The Ghee
I like to use Ghee as is traditional in Pakistani Desserts and in a Halwa in particular. It has a naturally nutty aroma and taste and adds to the natural flavor of the pumpkin/squash.
However, since the Pumpkin absorbs a lot of fat as it's roasted the quantity needed is a lot more than a few teaspoon of Ghee. This means a lot of saturated fat as well as a lot of expense since Ghee is expensive.
The Cooking Oil
For this reason, I usually use half Ghee and half oil. Any neutral oil is ok to use. Some people like coconut oil, but grapeseed or avocado are good options too.
The Sugar
I use ½ cup sugar only as the pumpkin is naturally sweet. Plain white sugar is my preferred choice. Some recipes call for a brown sugar known as "gur" or 'jaggery' in South Asia, but I feel that changes the flavor profile of the Halwa. The primary taste here is supposed to be the actual squash so it's best to keep the other ingredients simple.
The Cardamom
Pakistan's favorite essence! It's literally used in all of our desserts and even in many of our savory dishes. As always, you can use store bought cardamom powder for convenience but grinding fresh cardamom seeds is always better.
The Nuts
The Garnish is almost my favorite part. The nuts make the Pumpkin Halwa complete! You can use the nuts of your choice. Some people favor cashew nuts and some add in things like raisins and shredded coconut to their Halwa. I like Pistachios and almonds for my Halwa, but you can try whatever you prefer.
Rose Petals
Rose Petals are not necessary but I use them on special occasions to add a festive touch. you can also try gold or silver leaf depending on the occasion.
The Recipe
Finally the Pumpkin Halwa {Gluten Free Dessert} recipe! Put aside the Instant Pot Recipes, the Pressure Cooker and the special non stick pan! This is a traditional stove-top recipe and all you'll need is a nice thick bottomed cooking pot and a potato masher.
Well...Maybe a baking tray if you want to use my easy method of preparing the pumpkin pieces! Start off with a fresh pumpkin, or a whole tonda squash. For this recipe, I used 2 lbs of pumpkin pieces.
Baking The Pumpkin
Thoroughly wash pumpkin and then either cut in half as shown below or take the whole pumpkin and bake as per instructions in the recipe card to help easily extract the pulp. Cutting through the skin of the pumpkin is very difficult.
Slightly baking the pumpkin helps scoop out the flesh easily. Be careful not to overcook the vegetable, because we don't want to caramelize the squash. For this reason, if your oven can accommodate the entire pumpkin it's best to roast it whole. If not, cut it in half and roast it just enough to soften it but not to cook it.
If you halve it, brush some EVOO on it to prevent the caramelization from happening as we want the color to stay light yellow at this stage.
Once the Pumpkin is baked, cool it and scoop out the pulp in large chunks. Traditionally Grated pumpkin is used for halwa, but I find this method easier with the variety of squash I'm using.
Cook The Halwa
For the next hour or so you will cook the Pumpkin pulp and milk together till you get a nice this pumpkin puree. As the milk starts to dry out, you may need to stir at regular intervals to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom.
This happens as the squash releases its natural sugar. The milk thickens and acts as if there's been the addition of khoya (milk solids), which is traditional in Halwas. Now that the base of the Pumpkin Halwa is ready, we're ready for the next step!
Add The Sugar
You don't want to add the sugar before the pumpkin puree is ready. As the sugar caramelizes it alters the color of the Halwa and you don't want that too early in the cooking process.
Once you add the cup of sugar, or more, depending on how many pound pumpkin you have, you will see a glossy mixture. This is an indicator that it's time to start roasting the Halwa and bring it to a finish.
Roasting The Halwa
This step can take a long time, depending on your stove and cooking utensils. Making a good Halwa is not for the faint of heart. It's a process that takes time and this is one recipe that I don't recommend taking short cuts with.
Add in the Ghee and let it melt in and start roasting the mixture. Once the ghee has completely melted, add in the cooking oil. Roast the halwa on medium heat till it starts to thicken and leave the sides of the pan.
By the end you will have a thick gloopy mixture and no excess moisture in the Pumpkin Halwa. You should be able to see the oil glistening a little on the surface. The color of the Halwa should now be a deep amber. This is the time to add in the crushed cardamom for maximum aroma.
Serving and Storage
Plate and garnish your Pumpkin Halwa {Gluten Free Dessert} with the nuts and rose petals just before serving.
Storage
The Halwa can stay in the fridge for upto 1 week. After that I recommend freezing it. Luckily, Halwas freeze really well, upto 3 months is standard. Since this is a recipe that takes a while, I usually make a large batch once a year to freeze and enjoy for a few months!
Reheating
If you take the Pumpkin Halwa out of the fridge, heat it before serving. The Halwa can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove top on low flame. If your Halwa is in the freezer, defrost it first and when it is at room temperature then warm it up to serve it.
Other Desserts To Try
- carrot-halwa-gajar-ka-halwa
- gulab-jamun-with-milk-powder
- sooji-ka-halwa
- pear-cranberry-gingersnap-crisp
- spice-cake-with-orange-creme-anglaise
- deconstructed-pumpkin-pie
- individual-pumpkin-pies
- bread-pudding-with-praline-sauce
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Pumpkin Halwa {Gluten Free Dessert}
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- parchment paper
- 1 small bowl
- 1 basting brush
- 1 deep bottom cooking pot (5-6 quart)
- 1 potato masher
- 1 Cooking Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 lb pumpkin {SEE NOTES}
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup sugar {SEE NOTES}
- ½ cup ghee {SEE NOTES}
- ½ cup cooking oil
- ½ tsp cardamom
- 2 tbsp pistachios {SEE NOTES}
- 2 tbsp almonds
- 1 tbsp rose petals {OPTIONAL}
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f .
- Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment.
- Cut your tonda squash or pumpkin of choice in half and take out all the seeds {SEE NOTES}.
- Pour some oil in a small bowl (I use avocado) and use a basting brush to rub it on the halved pumpkins/tonda squash {SEE NOTES}.
- Bake the pumpkin in the oven (uncovered) for 45 minutes.
- Remove, cool enough to be able to scoop out the flesh in big pieces and discard the skin.
- Place the pumpkin pieces and milk in the pot and bring the mixture to a boil on high heat.
- Reduce to medium heat and cook till all the liquid has evaporated and use your potato masher to make a thick pumpkin puree.
- Add the sugar to the mixture and cook on low heat, stirring till its all melted and the mixture is glossy.
- Add in the ghee and let it melt into the sweetened pumpkin puree.
- Turn the flame to medium high and add in the oil and let the halwa mixture heat up.
- Start roasting the mixture, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and turns amber in color it is ready.
- Garnish and serve warm.
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