Kaddu halwa ( Pumpkin halwa )is mildly sweet dessert , flavored with cardamom powder. It is a delicious pudding made from pumpkin puree.
Kaddu halwa is a vrat (fasting recipe) that is usually consumed during Navratri fasting .
If you are looking for similar halwa recipes then don't forget to check this delicious Besan Halwa , Sweet Potato Halwa , Kashi Halwa , Carrot Halwa and Rajgira Halwa recipes. I'm sure that you'll fall in love with these recipes too.
This post has been updated from the archives, was first published in September 2018.
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About this recipe
Pumpkin is one of the healthy vegetable that is used widely all over India to make many delcious sweet and savoury dishes.
Pumpkin / Kaddu is popularly used during Hindu fasting and vrat periods.
Hence , kaddu ka halwa is very commonly prepared during religious festivals as offerings to diety.
Onset of "Shravan Maas" which is considered as one of the most auspicious month in Hindu calendar welcomes many festivals and fasting on these days is very common.
On event of "Shravan Amavasya ", I had prepared this delicious sweet pumpkin pudding ,Kaddu Halwa which can be consumed during fasting. Though ,I was not fasting just to satisfy my sweet cravings , I came up with this recipe.
Health benefits of Pumpkin
Pumpkin is one of the most healthiest vegetable which needs to be used in our diet regularly as it is rich in vital vitamins and minerals. As Pumpkin is rich in fiber , potassium and vit C , it's popularly known as Heart Healthy Vegetable. Everyone knows that it's important to reduce salt (sodium) in one's diet to reduce blood pressure but many are unaware that it's equally important to eat Potassium rich foods for Healthy heart.
Few more best of best Pumpkin recipes on my blog are Pumpkin Chutney , Pumpkin Khichadi , Pumpkin Soup and Pumpkin walnut cake .
Ingredients
Watch Video
How to make kaddu halwa
Wash and clean Pumpkin, remove the seeds ,peel the skin .
Cut pumpkin into small cubes and place it in a pressure cooker container.
In a pressure cooker ,add water to the bottom and place the container with pumpkin,sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
Whilst ,with mortar pestle crush cardamom ,de husk , make cardamom powder and set aside.
Once the pressure releases on its own ,mash the pumpkin with the help of masher . Or you can blend it to smooth puree ,with the help of blender.
Take a thick bottom kadai ,Heat 3 tablespoon ghee , add pumpkin puree.
Stir well pumpkin and cook till water content in pumpkin bubbles and dries up completely.
Add sugar and mix well,continue to cook for another 5-8 minutes ,till halwa starts to leave from the edges ,that is the consistency of halwa.
Now add ½ tablespoon of ghee and mix well.
Add all chopped dry nuts and melon seeds,mix well and turn off the heat.
Add cardamom powder ,milk masala powder,mix well .
Serve hot or warm garnished with melon seeds and chopped nuts.
Recipe Card
Kaddu Halwa Recipe | Easy Pumpkin Halwa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Kilogram Pumpkin
- ¾ Cup Sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoon Ghee /Clarified Butter
- 5 Cardamom Pods
- 1 tablespoon Melon Seeds - Optional
- 1 tablespoon Cashews Chopped
- 1 tablespoon Almonds Chopped
- ½ tablespoon Pista Chopped
Instructions
- Wash and clean pumpkin,remove seeds and peel the pumpkin skin.Cut pumpkin into small cubes.
- Using Mortar Pestle ,dehusk the cardamom and powder the seeds ,keep it aside.
- In a pressure cooker add water, place pumpkin in a pressure cooker separator/container, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
- Once pressure releases on its own,remove the container and mash pumpkin well with the help of masher or else you can blend to get puree
- Take a Thick Bottom Kadai ,heat 3 tablespoon of ghee,add mashed /puree pumpkin
- Mix well and cook ,till all water in the pumpkin dries up.
- Add sugar, mix well and continue to cook till pumpkin leaves edges (halwa consistency)
- Add ½ tablespoon ghee,chopped dry nuts mix well.
- Turn off the heat ,add cardamom powder and serve hot or warm .
Video
Notes
- You can grate pumpkin and cook in an open vessel ,if you are not pressure cooking pumpkin.
- You can also add milk while cooking pumpkin,but cook till it gets dried up completely and reaches halwa consistency.
- If you can't mash pumpkin to smooth , then with the help of blender just blend it to get puree.
- Pumpkin puree was about 4 cups and sugar used was about ¾ cup ,it also depends on the sweetness of pumpkin you use. So keep a check on sweetness of pumpkin before adding sugar.
- Milk Masala is optional ,its blend of nutmeg,cardamom ,saffron,mace ,pista,badam and cashews.
Dipali Bhasin
Very well illustrated! I am definitely going to try this. Do you mean milk powder in your recipe or is milk masala powder different? What exactly is it? Do let me know. Thanks!
Muktha
Milk Masala Powder is different ,it's a blend of almonds,pista,cashews,green cardamom, saffron ,mace and nutmeg. You get it in stores ,it's available in different brands like Everest ,Badshah and many more. Here I have used home made Milk Masala Powder, I'll share the recipe shortly.
Gopi
Delicious
Muktha
🙂