A Turkish dessert with pumpkin: giving baklava and halva a run for their money
The pumpkin, one of autumn's most versatile delicacies, serves as the foundation for both delectable savory meals and sweet desserts. The Turkish kabak tatlisi, for instance, is a pumpkin dessert that will undoubtedly appeal to the most discerning sweet tooth.
The pumpkin's history can be traced back to Mexico, where archaeologists discovered that its cultivation started as far back as 6,000 years before our era. The pumpkin was greatly revered, with its flowers used to adorn the statues of gods. It was introduced to Europe in the 16th century by Spanish explorers and quickly gained immense popularity.
Today, pumpkins are cultivated in various parts of the Old Continent. One of the major producers for years has been Türkiye, where pumpkins have been a staple in the local cuisine since the Ottoman Empire. From that era came the beloved dessert kabak tatlisi (kabak translates to pumpkin, while the word "tatli" signifies sweetness). This dessert is especially popular in Istanbul and can be found on many restaurant menus during the fall-winter season. It is also a recurrent feature in Turkish homes during the holiday season because the Turks believe that eating a pumpkin dessert would bring good luck for the coming year.
The recipe for kabak tatlisi is straightforward, inexpensive, and yields a delightful outcome.
Nutritional values of pumpkin
The base ingredient for this dessert is, naturally, the pumpkin. In Türkiye, the favored variety is the Balkabağı. Fortunately, the more common musk or Hokkaido pumpkin can be adequately substituted in the kabak tatlisi recipe.
The pumpkin's benefits are numerous. It offers not just great taste and versatility in culinary applications, but also boasts remarkable nutritional qualities. The orange flesh is rich in dietary fiber, aiding digestion, preventing constipation, and inducing a feeling of fullness.
The pumpkin's vibrant color is due to the high concentration of carotenoids – potent antioxidants that convert into vitamin A in our bodies. This nutrient helps combat vision problems, protects against cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and helps maintain healthy skin. The vegetable also provides a host of other vitamins including C, E, and folic acid.
Even after heat treatment, the pumpkin retains its nutritional value. In fact, cooking makes it an even richer source of potassium, essential for regulating blood pressure, muscle tension, kidney function, and heart rhythm. It also supplies calcium, magnesium, and selenium.
Recipe for kabak tatlisi
For kabak tatlisi, you will need a little over one pound of cubed, deseeded pumpkin flesh. Place this in a pot, sprinkle with two cups of brown sugar and a few cloves, then cover and leave it at room temperature for eight hours. After this period, add a third of a cup of water. Cover the dish and simmer on low heat for forty-five minutes. During this time, fry two cups of walnuts or pistachios and chop them into small pieces. Fifteen minutes before the pumpkin is done, add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Cool the contents before serving and garnish with the crushed nuts.
The Turks often sprinkle the dessert with ground cinnamon and add clotted cream, thick natural yogurt, or tahini spolesame paste. Kabak tatlisi also pairs well with ice cream, whether it's whipped or vanilla-flavored.
