Kumbalkayi Kadab ~ ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ ಕಡಬ್

Shidramayya G Kalmath introduced this sweet to us. I remember him telling the name of the sweet with a smile- naayi kunni ~ ನಾಯಿ ಕುನ್ನಿ which means puppy in Kannada. The actual name is kumbalkayi kadabu ~ ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ ಕಡಬ್. It is made during Sankranthi. Kalmath had brought four of them. They looked like candy bars but soft to touch. I had two ...relished them. Gave the other two to a friend who likes cooking.

Kumbalkayi kadabu is made of pumpkin and jaggery boiled in water until it turns into a paste. Then flours of different cereals like rice and wheat are added in small quantities to thicken the paste. The paste is wrapped in Hatti Haanu Mara leaves and steamed. The entire process takes about 8 to 10 hours.

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