hubbard squash halwa for Diwali
Talented Vee of Past, Present, and Me is hosting not one but *two* Jihva events for autumn festival season: one for Navratri-Dassera and one for Diwali.
Together they are Jihva Special Edition: The Festive Series.
a brilliantly colored piece of hubbard squash
baked hubbard squash
Because this squash is traditionally harvested in autumn, the time of harvest festivals, I thought it appropriate for the Jihva Festive Series.
Probably it should have been sent under Navratri-Dassera, but I’m late as usual, so I made the deadline for Diwali. Hope you don’t mind, Vee, and thanks for all your hard work! 
~~~
I’ve never made halwa.
I also haven’t had a piece of hubbard squash since I was a kid. Our neighbors used to grow this huge squash in their garden, and often the fruits would hang right down through the fence into our little backyard. The neighbors were a sweet elderly Italian couple — very old-world and generous to a fault.
I was only four or five but I still remember their amazing suburban garden complete with grape vines. Looking back, it was like a little slice of Italy just up the hill beyond the fence.
We never bought this squash. Someone like the neighbors or a grandmother grew it and hacked off a piece with an axe (yes, the rind was that hard), and shared it with us. Back then the skin was a blueish grey… nowadays I see it in orange skin as well. I saw a small-sized piece the other day, and thought to bake it for old time’s sake. The baked squash was so naturally sweet that I decided to use it to try my hand at halwa.
Hubbard Squash Halwa with Split Moong
1 small piece hubbard squash (about 8 oz or enough for 1 1/2c mashed)
1/4 c ghee
1/2 c split moong dal (wash well and let dry)
2 TB cashew pieces
2 to 2 1/2 c milk, warmed
2-3 lumps jaggery
~~~
Bake the hubbard squash in 375F oven about one hour or until very soft and lightly browned (I did this in the toaster oven). Meanwhile, start the dal:
Melt the ghee and toast the dried moong dal slowly, until it is fragrant and reddish-golden. When it’s almost toasted, add the cashews as well.
Add a cup of the warm milk and bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer slowly until the dal begins to soften and break up (about an hour).
Now add the baked squash (scooped from its shell) and the remaining milk. Stir well and continue to cook slowly until most of the milk is absorbed (about another half hour). Add the jaggery and stir well to ensure that it melts. Continue to cook another 10-15 minutes or until the halwa is the consistency you prefer.
slow-cooking colorful hubbard squash halwa
Serve warm with spiced cream (cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, whatever you fancy) — or — spread in a shallow greased tray to cool before cutting into shapes to be served at room temperature. This had so much ghee that I didn’t care for it straight from the fridge — my personal choice would be warm.
Compared to many halwa recipes I have seen, this took a long time to make. It was rich and delicious without being overly sweet — and the cheerful autumn-colored sweet stew bubbling away on the stove made the kitchen seem quite homey, so I felt it was worth the time
I also made mushroom and green pepper bhajjis — everyone has their own favorite recipe so I won’t detail this one, only to say I used the mild cubanelle peppers and they were really delicious. Something about the flavor of the besan and those peppers was a special combination, like two foods made for one another. The mushrooms were good too, but nowhere near like those peppers!
mushroom and cubanelle pepper bhajjis on American Pioneer platter
by Liberty Works, circa 1931
hubbard squash halwa with moong dal on a favorite green stoneware plate from Christmas Tree Shops, circa 2006 ~ their slogan: “don’t you just love a bargain” 
Happy Diwali!
Menu Today said
Hi Linda,
Halwa with cooked dal.. very interesting. Awesome looking Halwa.(Very healthy too with jaggery)
Thanks for sharing.
Happy Diwali
Thanks MT, I’m pleased you liked it. I guess it was sort of new but I am sure I read it somewhere
Happy Diwali 
sra said
Oh, so this is the halwa you mentioned in your comments to my post! I can believe the hacking off bit – yellow pumpkin here is hard enough to cut through but cooks so easily. And my nightmare is sweet potato – I have to bear down on the knife and cut into it with all the might in my two shoulders!
That was the one, Sra! I never saw a sweet potato so hard to cut though — perhaps because I haven’t cooked them often. Must remedy that…
Suganya said
There is no way anyone can beat you, Linda. Love all yr creations.
Ha ha, Suganya, dear! You’re just out to swell my head. But I thank you for the kind words all the same. Now if I could just shoot some photos like yours!
bhags said
that halwa needs to be savoured now…so I am ready with my fork and spoon…lovely colour of the halwa…..:)
One big plate of halwa for you Bhags, thanks! I liked the color from that squash, too
VegeYum said
Happy Diwalli. I love your recipes! A halwa with pumpkin – yum. Can send some?
Happy Diwali to you, VegeYum, and thank you so much! Be glad to send you some any time
indosungod said
First thing that struck me was the color, beautiful and the Halwa delicious. I see so many squashes at the market but hone in on the butternut squash, I’ll more closely and watch for the hubbard squash. Enjoy the festival season Linda!.
The squash section was never my favorite, ISG, till couple years back I started to have a change of heart. Butternut is good, but try venturing out a little too — some wholesome sweets there in those hard shells
Hope you have a wonderful festival season too — hugs to you and the kids 
Asha said
Beautiful!! Halwa looks so good and Bajjis are great accompaniment. Hot and sweet! Slurp!! Love the plate too!:))
I don’t have anything to post right now. My brain is clogged!!!;D
Ha ha Asha, clogged I don’t think so, but overworked maybe! Thanks for the kind words, and have a great rest of the weekend. Hope Noel didn’t drop much rain on you
Richa said
hey, ur halwa looks so good with such a lovely color
i’ve a butternut squash waiting to be cooked, ur post makes me want to use it for this halwa, sweets with jaggery are a fav at my home 
have a good wknd!
Thanks Richa, hard to beat those squash for colors! The jaggery was better than brown sugar I am accustomed to. Have a great weekend yourself
Sirisha Kilambi said
Linda…….The halwa looks gorgeous
)) and tha bajjis…slurp…..made for each other 
)
Oh, thanks Sirisha! Bhajjis with those peppers were hard to resist — what a flavor combo! Do try sometime
sia said
i bow my head… u r unbelievably amazing and creative linda
Sia, if you’re bowing your head I am holding mine in, you’ve got it all swelled up and I can’t fit out the door
hugs, have a great weekend!
bee said
lovely creation, linda. the colour is very festive.
Thanks Bee — I love autumn colors for festive food
Puspha said
Wondeful!!!!
Thanks so much, Pushpa
Vee said
Lovely Halwa! The colors are just fantastic and how appropriate, too.
Thank you, Linda, for a very rich and colorful entry. 1/4 cup ghee [gulp]. It’s definitly Diwali!
“Gulp” indeed, Vee — but it did make about 12 servings, so not so bad if you only have one
Thanks for hosting the festival Jihva — I had fun making these!
Cynthia said
Wow, Linda. The hubbard must have taken your taste buds down quite a memory lane
That it did, Cynthia. I enjoyed your ‘memory lane’ article too!
mandira said
Wow Linda, absolutely delicious and so creative! Happy Diwali
Thanks, Mandira — Happy Diwali to you, too!
Seema said
Linda – Nice halwa recipe…Looks great! Bajjis are awesome.. a sweet & savourie & a cup of hot coffe, will make a perfect evening!
Thanks Seema — that hot cuppa is certainly in order around here lately, along with some warm treats
VegeYum said
The halwa looks amazing! Great photography too. I like reading your blog.
Happy Diwali to you and your family.
Loved your toor dal photos too – especially of it in holiday dress!
Thank you so much, VegeYum — Diwali wishes to you and yours, as well
asma said
hi
thats a load of artistic view in ur pics, and u deserve some phd in sambhar i guess, whn we make khichidi it wil hav more deffinite grains in it some hyderabadi style
, anyhow gudwork i havent tried any of ur rec but wil try soon
Thanks so much for your kind words, asma! Sambhar is my fav
Thanks for the tip on the khichidi too!
VnV said
I use butternut squash in a variety of things during fall/winter! I love it. It is easy to peel, cube and use: see my recipe at veggiemonologues.blogspot.com