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Parwal ki mithai
परवल की मिठाई: pointed gourds candied in syrup and stuffed with sweet mawa and nuts
Parwal ki mithai surprises anyone who knows pointed gourd only as a curry vegetable: in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh sweet makers peel the gourds, candy them in syrup until translucent, then fill them with sweetened mawa and nuts. They sit in shop windows at Diwali, Chhath and weddings, often glinting with silver leaf. The common mistake is undercooking the gourds before candying, which leaves them crunchy and vegetal; blanch until a knife slides in easily. Silver leaf (vark) is optional; choose one certified vegetarian. Chef's tip: scrape out every seed carefully, because even a few hard seeds spoil the soft bite.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the parwal
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 9 oz sugar
- 1 cup water
- 3 green cardamom podscrushed
For the filling
- 5 ½ oz mawa (khoya)crumbled
- 1 ⅜ oz powdered sugar
- ⅔ oz pistachioschopped
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 sheets edible silver leaf (vark), vegetarian-certified (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Peel 12 firm, slim pointed gourds (parwal) thinly, slit each lengthways along one side and scrape out all the seeds and pith with a small spoon.
15 minStep 2: Boil in water with ¼ tsp baking soda for 5–6 minutes until a knife slides in easily. Drain and rinse in cold water.
7 minStep 3: Boil 9 oz sugar, 1 cup water and 3 green cardamom pods for 5 minutes, add the parwal and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until they look translucent and the syrup reaches one-string. Leave them to soak in the syrup for 30 minutes, then drain on a rack.
50 minStep 4: Roast 5 ½ oz mawa (khoya) in a dry pan over low heat for 4–5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Cool slightly, then mix in 1 ⅜ oz powdered sugar, ⅔ oz pistachios and ¼ tsp ground cardamom.
6 minStep 5: Stuff each parwal with the filling, pressing it in firmly, and smooth the top. Decorate with 2 sheets edible silver leaf (vark), vegetarian-certified if using. Chill 30 minutes to set; keep 4 days in the fridge.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does parwal ki mithai take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of green cardamom pods?
- A pinch of ground cardamom per 2 pods.
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