Papaya (unripe) halwa or papaya pudding is a delicious healthy recipe for any festive or special occasion. This is an Indian dessert, glutenfree, refined sugarfree recipe mildly flavoured with cardamom.
This idea of papaya halwa started when my sister-in-law gave us few raw papayas, we kept this for ripening and these never turned ripe or sweet. I prefer eating fruits as such but this unripe papaya for going waste, so prepared halwa.
The halwa was so delicious that no one in the family and relatives could make out it’s from unripe papaya. It tastes almost like kashi halwa or ash gourd halwa.
I have prepared this halwa many a times, and every time used liquid jaggery. This jaggery is semi solid type, we usually find this in mangalore stores or any organic stores. If you are not in favour of dark colour and taste of jaggery, then refined sugar, coconut sugar, cane sugar or normal jaggery powder can also be used
Halwa from unripe papaya preparation takes very less time, this is a great recipe that can be prepared when you have large number of raw papaya, half ripe papaya or papaya which is not sweet.
This halwa can also be prepared with completely ripe papaya, but very less jaggery is added. The taste, texture of each of these differ and the amount of sweetener used. Papaya fruit is highly nutritious and if your kids are not willing to eat then this is one option of serving them.
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Few important steps to follow while preparing papaya (unripe) halwa
While preparing this halwa, I grate the unripe papaya, this helps in easy cooking in less time. The other option is to chop and puree unripe papaya thereby changing the texture of halwa.
I prefer making this halwa on medium heat, so that the cooked unripe papaya takes up the jaggery syrup evenly.
I have added minimum quantity of ghee in this method. If you prefer adding more, you can but get more of ghee flavour in the final halwa masking the taste of papaya.
Flavouring the halwa: The best flavours for this halwa are green cardamom and nutmeg powder. Always add them at the end so that the flavours remain intact and not lost during cooking the halwa
Dry fruits of any choice can be added, I prefer a mixture of dry fruits like cashew nuts, almonds and raisins. I prefer to add them at the end so that they give some crunchiness to the halwa.
Check out this papaya (unripe) halwa with step by step recipe
Heat a thick bottom wok, add little ghee and fry the dry fruits until they are slightly golden. Keep this aside. Dry fruits can be finely crushed or chopped into big pieces.
Use the same wok as above without washing (any traces of ghee in the wok is absorbed by raw papaya) now add grated unripe papaya with little water (the colour is slightly yellow, unsweet). Very little water is required here, as the unsweet papaya oozes out some amount of water.
Close with a lid and cook on medium heat, until they become soft. This might take around 8 to 10 minutes. If you feel it’s drying, add little more water and cook until they are soft.
After unripe papaya is cooked, add liquid jaggery, mix well and cook the raw papaya in jaggery syrup on medium heat. I have taken half the quantity of jaggery to raw papaya gratings as we prefer less sweet. The halwa starts thickening, now add remaining ghee, cardamom powder and mix well.
Finally add the ghee fried dry fruits and mix well. Delicious raw papaya halwa is ready to be served. This stays good in airtight container for 2 days at room temperature.
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Other halwa recipe on blog
Papaya (unripe) halwa
Ingredients
- Papaya unripe (deskinned and grated) – 2cups
- Jaggery (liquid) – 1 cup
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
- Dry fruits chopped – ¼ cup (cashew nuts, almonds, raisins)
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Water as required
Instructions
- Heat a thick bottom wok, add 1 tbsp ghee and fry the dry fruits until they are slightly golden. Keep this aside.
- To the same wok, add the grated unripe papaya and little water. Close with a lid and cook on medium heat, until they become soft. This might take around 8 to 10 minutes.
- After it’s cooked, add liquid jaggery, mix well and cook the raw papaya – jaggery mixture on medium heat. The halwa starts thickening, now add remaining ghee, cardamom powder and mix well.
- Finally add the ghee fried dry fruits and mix well. Delicious halwa from unripe papaya is ready to be served.
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Pavithra M Adiga
I am a passionate foodie and food photographer with love to document easy, simple to follow, healthy vegetarian recipes in Dice n Cook.
Yummy halwa – tasty n healthy too – as sugar is not used !!
Looks so yummy – tasty n healthy ( sugar not used) – Nice recipe
Thank you so much uncle, yes jaggery sweets have a unique taste