Agra Peda

• Select fully grown white pumpkin.
• Remove skin and the soft inner portions and seeds.
• Cut into 2” pieces. Prick holes all over with a sharp needle on all sides..
• Pieces - 500 gms
• Sugar - 400 gms
• Powdered alum or lime (chunnam) - 1 tsp
• Pour boiling water over lime water or powdered alum water & keep the clear water.
• Immerse the pieces in water to which lime or alum has been added, for 24 hrs.
• Drain & wash well.
• Boil just enough water to immerse the pieces completely.
• Keep the washed pieces in a vessel, pour boiling water over & keep covered.
• Leave for 24 hrs.
• Drain the next day & keep ready.
• Boil 500 ml of water with sugar.
• When it boils, remove, pour on the drained pieces & cover.
• Drain the water after a little while.
• Meanwhile dissolve sugar in 250 ml of water & keep on a low fire.
• Just when it begins to boil, add vegetable pieces.
• When it begins to boil, remove from fire & keep it overnight.
• Next day, drain the pieces, remove the syrup, boil again & remove from fire.
• Keep this overnight.
• On the third day, again remove slices and boil syrup to 2-3 string consistency nearly crystalline.
• Put in the gourd, boil for a few mts & remove from fire.
• When cool, take the pieces out and dry them in the sun for a few hrs.
• When dry, roll in lightly powdered sugar.