Poosanikai halwa, also known as Kasi halwa, is a traditional south Indian dessert recipe made with ash gourd, sugar and ghee and flavoured with cardamom and saffron. Served as part of the wedding feast, this poosanikai halwa has my heart.
This is my humble attempt to recreate the childhood memories of numerous Kalyana mandap sapaddu halwa that my mom willingly shared with me. 😛
Ash gourd is also known as winter melon, kumbalanga in malayalam and poosanikai in tamil. I already introduced winter melon through the bong dish, chal kumaro diye muger dal recipe which is a flavourful side for rotis and rice! But ever imagined this gourd vegetable makes a great warm dessert thats best for a cold winter days ahead?
I made this halwa during the initial lockdown days when routine had gone topsy-turvey with no clarity about the future. Like most of you, I took comfort in food and my tastebuds dived right into wedding halls as a child holding my mom's pallu at the long table.
Banana leaves get placed for you which mom wipes clean with the water from the tumbler. And then came the array of dishes all one by one... I was only looking forward to the dessert. Payasam and then this orangish halwa.
I love it so much that I was thrilled that my sister was getting married in Coimbatore itself and guess what? the halwa was on the menu! That was the last time I had one! So, to bring life to my cravings, I asked mom for the recipe but she was not sure, then I googled and tried Rak's Kitchen recipe. But for the second time around, I skipped some of her steps and made it easier.
Ingredients
- ghee
- cashews
- ash gourd
- sugar
- cardamom powder
- saffron strands
- optional: yellow or orange food colour
The ingredients for this poosanikai halwa are simple but for any simple recipe the technique matters! Thankfully there is no syrup consistency science involved in this recipe! 🤣 So you won't go wrong unless you make one fatal mistake - adding sugar before the ash gourd is cooked - you have no chance to revive.
How to make it?
Time-consuming but easy! Remove the skin and any seed parts of the gourd. Then grate the ash gourd using a grater so that it is even. Don't be tempted to add it to the processor or mixie, you will juice it.
Heat some of the ghee in a non-stick kadai or saucepan over medium flame. Fry the cashews until they turn golden brown, remove and keep aside for later.
Add the grated ash gourd and keep sauteing until all the water evaporates and the ash gourd is completely soft and cooked through. This step takes a lot of time so do not hurry by increasing the flame.
This will take time. But don't hesitate to add water if it dries up but is not cooked through. You should not add sugar until you are fully convinced that the grated ash gourd is cooked completely. You can do it by tasting a small bit.
Once you are sure that all of the grated ash gourds are cooked - which took me more than 30 mins you can reach for the sugar. Stir in the sugar, cardamom powder, turmeric powder and a few saffron strands. Keep stirring until all the sugar melts and the halwa thickens.
Add any remaining ghee. You may add more ghee if you find it dry. Taste and add more sugar if required. Continue stirring the halwa on low to medium flame until it starts to leave the sides of the pan. Stir in the fried cashews and transfer to the serving bowl. Serve warm or cold.
If you don't have the time to make this, then do try my Rava Kesari, a south Indian semolina pudding!
More ash gourd recipes
📖 Recipe
Poosanikai Halwa | Ash Gourd Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ghee
- 10 to 12 whole cashews split
- 2 to 3 cups ash gourd grated
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 pinch turmeric powder for colour
- 1 pinch saffron crushed
- water if required
Instructions
- Heat some of the ghee in a non-stick kadai or saucepan over medium flame.
- Fry the cashews until they turn golden brown, remove and keep aside for later.
- Add the grated ash gourd and keep sauteing until all the water evaporates and the ash gourd is completely soft and cooked through. This step takes a lot of time so do not hurry by increasing the flame. But don't hesitate to add water if it dries up but is not cooked through. You should not add sugar until you are fully convinced that the grated ash gourd is cooked completely. You can do it by tasting a small bit.
- Stir in the sugar, cardamom powder, turmeric powder (if using) and a few saffron strands.
- Keep stirring until all the sugar melts and the halwa thickens. Add any remaining ghee. You may add more ghee if you find it dry. Taste and add more sugar if required.
- Continue stirring the halwa on low to medium flame until it starts to leave the sides of the pan.
- Stir in the fried cashews and transfer to the serving bowl.
- Serve warm or cold.
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