Indian Red Pumpkin Dessert (Kaddu Ka Halwa)

Kaddu ha halwa is an Indian pumpkin dessert that is quick and easy to make. A seasonal dish that is widely made by North Indians during festivals, this yummy sweet dish can be served cold, hot or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Halwa is a speciality from North India that is now popular all over the country. It is made from the pumpkin known as Kaddu or Lal Bhopla in India, which is a type of winter squash. Did you know pumpkins and gourds belong to the same family as squashes and melons, called the Cucurbitaceae family, in fact, there are about 975 species? Pumpkin is often prepared for food as a vegetable, though it is actually a fruit.

We’ve often made dudhi ka halwa at home, but this red pumpkin dessert is only made once in a blue moon. It’s a bit too earthy for me, but a lot of people like it; so let’s find out how it’s made. There are many different versions out there, but this is ours; real quick and easy.

What Ingredients do you need to make Pumpkin Halwa?

All you need to make this tasty pumpkin dessert is a winter squash (kaddu or bhopla), sugar, cardamom, and almonds. Milk powder or cream is optional.

How to Make Kaddu ka Halwa With Milk powder or Without it?

Peel the skin of the pumpkin pieces and remove the seeds and the pulpy bits from the centre. Then, grate the pumpkin and set aside.

Add sugar and cardamom pods in a vessel, place on the stove and make a mel(syrup) on a low flame. Do not add water, just allow the sugar to melt on its own.

In a similar dish, add some ghee and the grated pumpkin and allow the pumpkin to cook while stirring it every few minutes until it softens. You will notice that the pumpkin has reduced in quantity and its texture has changed. You can then add the sugar mel and cardamoms to this mixture and continue to cook for a few more minutes till it thickens.

And the pumpkin halwa is done and ready to be served!

If you want a richer texture, you can add in a bit of milk powder, condensed milk, or evaporated milk (optional) after you take the vessel off the stove and allow it cool. Alternatively, add a bit of mawa (Indian dried sweet milk solids) five minutes before turning the stove off.

Garnish with flaky almonds or roasted broken cashews.

What’s Perfect about this Pumpkin Dessert Recipe?

• This red bhopla halwa is quick and easy to make.
• This dessert requires just a few ingredients and is vegetarian.
• If you do not add the milk powder, it is vegan.
• Pumpkin has many nutritional benefits.

Cooking Tips Or Tricks

• Remove the skin and grate the pumpkin before you start cooking.
• Do not use water to cook the pumpkin, it won’t taste as good.
• You can use broken roasted Cashew nuts instead of Almonds. Or you can skip nuts altogether.
• Milk powder is optional but adds a certain richness.
• You might also like the recipes for regular bottle gourd halwa made with white pumpkins, apple pie cookies, or polenta apricot crumble.

Questions About the dessert called Pumpkin Halwa

Can I Use Milk To Cook This Dessert?

Yes, if you wish, you can add some milk when you mix in the sugar and cardamom. You would need to allow it to simmer a little longer for the mixture to get dry.

Is Pumpkin A Vegetable Or A Fruit?

Although pumpkin is widely prepared and used as a vegetable, it is a fruit.

Are Pumpkin Seeds Edible?

Yes, certain kinds of pumpkin seeds are edible. However, for this recipe, it is better not to use the seeds. Instead, you can sundry the seeds or dry them in an oven to snack on them.

When Is Red Pumpkin In Season?

Here in India, Red Pumpkin or Kaddu is harvested in the Summer(monsoon) and Winter seasons; generally June, July and December, January.

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