Calabaza en Tacha (Pumpkin in Syrup)

 
One of the dishes that I will always have in my heart is”dulce de calabaza” or “Calabaza en tacha” as some people call it. For me, this recipe totally takes me back to my childhood, I remember going to visit my grandma in Sinaloa and she and my aunties would cook this dish, sometimes specially for me, as I was and still am number one fan of “Calabaza en dulce”. They are the experts to make this recipe, specially my auntie Laura and Ana.

In Mexico this recipe is cook during the autumn and specially during “The Day of the Dead” as an offering to our loved ones that had past away. Whatever the occasion the truth is that this recipe is cosy, delicious and once you try it, you will definitely love it.

I made a medium pumpkin because it is only for my family and me, but you can make as much as you want, it is an easy recipe and I promise you will love it.

For a medium pumpkin

Prep 15 min

Cook 1 hr approx

Ingredients

• Queensland pumpkin washed and cut in chunks
• 100 gr Dark Brown Mascovado Sugar or 2 blocks of dark piloncillo.
• 2 medium cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 100 ml water

Method

In a large casserole dish add some of the sugar on the bottom and place the pumpkin skin up, add the cloves and cinnamon sticks.

And put another layer of pumpkins and add more sugar, do this until all the pieces are in the casserole dish. Add the water and cook in low heat. Make sure when it is cooking all the pumpkin pieces are covered with the syrup. Cook until the pumpkin is cook and tender.

Enjoy it just by itself or with some milk.

Tips

• This recipe traditionally is made with dark “Piloncillo” or “Panela” as some people call it.
• For this recipe I used dark brown Mascovado sugar as I couldn’t find dark piloncillo. The results are very similar.

Listo!

Provecho!