Persimmon Halwa

Not too long ago, I had a great Carrot Halwa at my local Indian restaurant. It was part of the buffet and I was really surprised by how good it was. I actually thought it was Persimmon at the time. I wanted to make it at home, but I still have this thing about cooked carrots and couldn't get myself to do it. Then I realized that I had some slightly overripe Fuyu Persimmons and if I'm going to eat them out of hand, I want them crisp. I  thought about making a Persimmon Bread with them, but then I got the notion to actually go ahead and make Halwa with them.

Halwa is an Indian term for sweet or dessert and the kind of Halwa I'm talking about is a pudding made out of all sorts of different ingredients. In the Fall and Winter, it is served hot and the main spice is Cardamom. It is rich and creamy and absolutely delicious. I used Ghee and Almond Milk and honestly, it probably would have been even richer with Cream, so if you can use Cream, I'd try it. If you want to be authentic, as I've never seen Persimmons used before in Halwa, make it with 1 pound of grated Carrots, but be sure to  increase the cooking time and double the amount of Ghee, Almond Milk (or Cream) and Sugar. I like my pudding to have some texture so I left the Persimmon a little chunky.  Cook it for longer and mash it if you want it smoother. 

Persimmon Halwa is very easy to make and can be made very fast so it's just perfect for a last minute dessert. And, Persimmons are sweet enough so that very little sugar is needed. I was always told that Persimmons were good for coughs, so I am hoping they will do their magic for me that way too.  I was so happy with this luscious and exotic dessert!

Persimmon Halwa 

4 Fuyu Persimmons

4 Tablespoons Ghee

1/4 cup Almond Milk (or Cream)

2 teaspoons up to 1 Tablespoon Sugar to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground Cardamom 

4 Tablespoons slivered Almonds - 1 Tablespoon per serving

Cut the Persimmons in quarters, removing the stem end and peel. Then chop it up.  Melt the Ghee in a frying pan over medium heat and add the Persimmons. Cook until the Persimmon is soft and hot and the color has gotten lighter, about 3 minutes. Add in the Almond Milk and cook until the liquid is mostly gone, about 5 minutes. Then stir in as much sugar as you like (I used only 2 teaspoons) and continue to cook until the sugar is mixed in fully and the Halwa gets sticky and thick, about 2 -3 minutes. Stir in the Cardamom and remove from the heat. Divide into 4 bowls and sprinkle slivered Almonds over each. Serve hot or warm.

Five Element Analysis

In Chinese Medicine, Persimmons are thought to clear heat and lower Blood Pressure. They are also supposed to be very good for your complexion as well as helping to relieve coughs.  Their lovely heart shape and red color shows that they are a fruit that belongs to the Fire Element so in this dish that element is covered. The Cream if you use it, the Ghee and the Cardamom contribute the Metal Element and the Almond Milk, Almonds and Sugar make sure the Earth Element is represented too. This would be a lovely dessert to serve with a Water food like Fish as a Main Course with some Green Vegetables served with it to bring in the Wood Element, creating a balanced Five Element meal.