Agra Petha

Ingredients:

Ash gourd/ Kumbalanga/ winter melon - 2 kgs

Sugar - 1kg or 4 cups

Chuna/Chunambu /Limestone - 2tsp

Method:

1. Clean the ash gourd by removing its thick green skin and the soft seed flesh. Then cut the ash gourd into small cubes.

2. Prick the cubes from all the sides with a fork.

3. Take enough water to cover the ash gourd and add chuna to it and mix well.

4. Add the ash gourd cubes to this water and keep it aside for about 12 hours.

5. After 12 hours, rinse and wash the ash gourd cubes 3 to 4 times in fresh water so that all the chuna is properly washed off.

6.  Then, boil enough water and add the washed and cleaned ash gourd cubes to it. Boil this for around 10 - 12 minutes.

7.  Drain it and keep aside.

8.  Now take a large vessel and add sugar and 1/2 cup water to it.

9. Heat it till the sugar dissolves. Then add the cooked ash gourd cubes to this and boil till the water is completed evaporated and sugar coats the ash gourd. 

10. Transfer the pieces to a plate or wire mesh and allow it to cool for 3-4 hours. The store it in an airtight container.

Enjoy!!