Kasi Halwa | Vella Poosanikai Halwa | Sweet Recipe

Kasi Halwa, a delicious and easy to make sweet with white pumpkin. As diwali is just around the corner, guess all would be busy planning and making sweets and snacks. 

If you're busy and will not be able to make any elaborate sweet, this kasi halwa will save your day. It's such a simple recipe and taste heavenly delicious. I have been making this halwa for a while now and it turned out mouthwatering delicious every single time.

 Here in today's recipe, i have grated the white pumpkin using large holes, so the halwa has some texture and you can feel that bits of white pumpkin when eating. But if you don't like that, grate it with small holes, that will give you silky smooth halwa without the traces of pumpkin.

For this halwa, there is no need to check for sugar syrup consistency or constant stirring like other halwa recipe, even beginners can try this halwa without much difficulties and succeed in first attempt itself. 

Only few things to consider while making this halwa, first,  depends on the texture of ash gourd/ white pumpkin, it takes more or less time to cook, so make sure that the pumpkin is well cooked before adding sugar into it. 

Second, this halwa tends to thicken with time, so make sure to switch off the flame when the halwa is slightly goey.  

Though i didn't share much recipes for this deepavali, you can check out my collection of diwali recipe from the past here. It has wide varieties of sweet and snacks that will help to sort out your diwali recipes. 

Happy diwali to all those who celebrate and for others have a great holiday. Now let's check out on how to make this delicious halwa.

Kasi Halwa | Vella Poosanikai Halwa

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 4 
Recipe Category: Sweet | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Kasi Halwa,Vella Poosanikai Halwa,Pumpkin Halwa,Halwa recipe,sweet, deepavali Sweet Kasi Halwa, a delicious and easy to make sweet with white pumpkin and sugar.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Vella Poosanikai/White pumpkin(grated) - 1 & 1/2 cup(tightly packed)
Sugar - 1/2 to 2/3 cup
Cardamon - 2 
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 4
Food color(yellow) - few drops

Procedure

First cut the pumpkin and remove the seeds and peel the skin.

Grate it using the grater and put it in the strainer and squeeze the pumpkin to remove the liquid from it. 

Heat a tsp of ghee in a pan,add the cashews, roast till they are golden brown and keep it aside.

In the same pan, add the grated pumpkin and saute it in ghee for a few mins, if needed add little water and cover cook them till they are soft.

Next add the sugar and give a good mix, the mixture will be watery again, cook till it became a thick mass.

Add the food color and mix it well and then start adding the ghee little by little.

Finally add the cardamon powder and cashews, mix it well. Switch off the flame when the ghee starts to ooze out. 

Tada, Yummy Kasi Halwa is ready.

Related : How to make Sweet Potato Halwa

Notes:

• Depends on the texture of pumpkin, the sugar quantity varies, firm pumpkin need more sugar than the soft pumpkin.
• You can use larger or smaller holes in the grater as per your liking. 
• You may not need all ghee, add a tbsp of ghee at a time, when the halwa starts to ooze out the ghee, stop adding further.
  

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Ash Gourd Curry | Thadiyangai Kootu | Vella Poosanikai Kootu

Thadiyangai Kootu, a delicious curry made from white pumpkin,chana dal,coconut masala & curd. It's one of the common dish in marriage feast in my native,Tirunelveli. It goes well with both sambar and kara kulmabu varieties.

White pumpkin/Thadiyangai is one of the few veggie i used to pick every time whenever we visit Indian store.It is the most versatile veggie that you can make sambar, kootu & pachadi with it.As i had already posted the recipe for sambar and pachadi, today i'm sharing the recipe for our family favorite thandiyagai kootu. If you haven't tried this recipe before, do give it a try. It's so tasty with wonderful coconut flavor.

Thadiyangai Kootu | Vella Poosanikai Kootu

Preparation Time : 20 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Thadiyangai Kootu, Vella Poosanikai Kootu,Poosanikai Kootu, Poosanikai Thayir Kootu,Ash gourd Kootu Thadiyangai Kootu, a delicious curry made from white pumpkin,chana dal,coconut masala & curd. It's one of the common dish in marriage feast in my native,Tirunelveli. It goes well with both sambar and kara kulmabu varieties.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Ash gourd(chopped)/Thadiyagai/Vella poosanigai - 1cup
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Curd - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch(optional)
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - few
To Grind
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Green Chili - 2
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 1 pod
Pearl onion - 1 
To Temper
Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Procedure

First cut the ash gourd into pieces, remove the seeds and peel the green skin.

Then cut the ash gourd into the thin strips and then cut into small pieces.Soak the channa dal for 20 mins.

Heat the kadai with half cup of water, add the soaked channa dal and bring into boil.

Once the dal is half cooked, add the chopped ash gourd,turmeric powder (if you're using. Sometimes i add turmeric powder and other times leave it out. What my step-step pics and finallt pics have color difference) & enough salt. Cover the kadai with lid & let the ash gourd to cook.

In the mean time, put all the ingredients listed under "To grind" into mixie jar and grind into smooth paste.

Once the ash gourd is cooked, add the coconut paste and bring the masala to boil. Let it boil since the raw smell leaves and then switch off the flame.Beat the curd smoothly.

And add into the ash gourd masala.Mix well with ash gourd. Temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper" and add into kootu.

That's it, Tasty Ash gourd Kootu is ready. For more curries and veggie side dish, check out here 

Notes:

• Coconut oil gives great flavor to the curry, highly recommend to use it.
• Add the curd after switch off the flame, otherwise, there is a chance to curdle
• Use fresh curd for great taste.

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