Kabak Tatlısı (Turkish Candied Pumpkin with Walnuts & Tahini)
قباق تاتلیسی (اخروٹ اور تل کے پیسٹ کے ساتھ ترکی میٹھا کدو)
When the big winter pumpkins arrive in Turkish markets in autumn, they're turned into kabak tatlısı. Thick pieces of pumpkin are layered with sugar and left overnight to release their juice, then cooked slowly in that syrup, with no added water, until they turn glossy and translucent. Served cold with crushed walnuts and a drizzle of tahini, it's simple, beautiful and surprisingly light. South Asian readers will know a similar idea from *kaddu ka halwa*, but this keeps the pumpkin in whole, candied pieces.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 5 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 50 min
- Easy
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Arrange the pumpkin pieces in one layer in a wide pot and sprinkle the sugar evenly over them. Cover and leave overnight (or at least 6 hours) until the pumpkin releases plenty of juice.
Add the cloves, then cook covered on low heat for 40–50 minutes without stirring, until the pumpkin is tender, glossy and translucent and the syrup has thickened. Baste with syrup now and then.
Cool completely in the pot, then chill for a few hours so the pumpkin firms up.
Serve cold, drizzled with tahini, sprinkled with walnuts and with a spoon of cream if you like.
Kitchen notes
No water is needed; the pumpkin's own juice and sugar make the syrup.
Don't stir while cooking, or the pieces will break. Shake the pot gently instead.
Choose a dense, deep-orange pumpkin or butternut squash; watery pumpkins fall apart.
An autumn favourite
Kabak tatlısı is one of the most loved seasonal desserts in Turkey, appearing in homes and pastry shops from October to the end of winter. It shows the Turkish approach to fruit desserts: very few ingredients, slow cooking and beautiful presentation.
Pumpkin in its own syrup
The method is unusual and clever. Sugar draws the juice out of the pumpkin overnight, and that juice becomes the cooking syrup, so no water is added. Cooked gently and left undisturbed, the pieces candy on the outside while staying soft within, turning a glowing, translucent orange.
Walnuts and tahini
The toppings make the dish: crushed walnuts for crunch and tahini for a nutty, slightly bitter contrast to the sweet pumpkin. Thick clotted cream (kaymak) is a luxurious addition.
Serving
Serve cold in shallow bowls with a cup of Turkish tea. For another fruit dessert in syrup, try ayva tatlısı with quince.
Questions people ask
Which pumpkin should I use?
Any dense, sweet orange squash: Turkish bal kabağı, butternut, or South Asian sitaphal/halwa kaddu.
Why does Turkish pumpkin dessert stay so firm?
Some cooks soak the pieces in lime water (slaked lime) first to firm the outside. It's optional; slow cooking without stirring also keeps the shape.
How long does it keep?
Up to 5 days in the fridge in its syrup.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 280
- Protein
- 4 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
