Name: Parwal Ki Mithai
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 Pointed Gourd, peeled and deseeded; ¾ cup Water, for boiling; ¼ pinch Baking Soda, helps retain green color; 6⅛ tbsp Sugar Syrup, one-string consistency; ¼ cup Khoya, crumbled and lightly roasted; ¾ tbsp Powdered Sugar, for stuffing; ½ tbsp Almonds, finely chopped; ½ tbsp Pistachios, finely chopped; ⅛ tsp Ground Cardamom

50 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: None

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Ingredients

2Pointed Gourdpeeled and deseeded
¾ cupWaterfor boiling
¼ pinchBaking Sodahelps retain green color
6⅛ tbspSugar Syrupone-string consistency
¼ cupKhoyacrumbled and lightly roasted
¾ tbspPowdered Sugarfor stuffing
½ tbspAlmondsfinely chopped
½ tbspPistachiosfinely chopped
⅛ tspGround Cardamom

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Method

Bring the specified volume of water to a vigorous boil, incorporating a trace of baking soda to lock in the chlorophyll. Submerge the hollowed parwals, boiling them for 3-4 minutes until they yield slightly but retain their structural hull.
3–4 min
Extract the blanched gourds using a slotted spoon. Evacuate all internal moisture by resting them inverted and patting them completely dry with culinary towels.
Bring the sugar syrup to a gentle simmer. Lower the dried parwals into the hot syrup. Simmer them over low heat for 5-7 minutes so they take up the sweetness. Turn off the heat and let them steep for 1 hour.
5–7 min1 hr
Meanwhile, make the filling: mix the lightly roasted, crumbled khoya with the powdered sugar, the finely chopped almonds and pistachios, and the fresh cardamom powder.
Retrieve the candied parwals from the syrup. Array them on a wire rack to shed any excessive, dripping syrup.
Utilizing finesse, pack each candied parwal hull densely with the rich khoya and nut stuffing, ensuring a pronounced, overflowing display.
Finish with a scattering of slivered pistachios over the exposed filling. Serve them chilled or at room temperature.

How to tell it's done

A slightly chewy, juicy, syrup-soaked exterior giving way to a rich, soft, and nutty mawa center.

Getting it right

Tip

Adding a tiny pinch of baking soda while boiling the parwal helps lock in their vibrant green color, making the sweet look incredibly appetizing.

What to serve it with

Serve chilled during festivals like Diwali or Raksha Bandhan. It is a stunning visual addition to a mithai platter.

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