Name: Pumpkin Conserve (Halwit il Ari’)
Yield: Makes about 7 pounds (3 kilograms) of jam
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 medium-sized sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, or other orange gourd; Juice of 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds; 4 pounds (about 2 kilograms) sugar; ¼ cup (32 grams) calcium hydroxide (also called hydrated lime, pickling lime, or slaked lime); 5 cups boiling water

Preparation info

Makes about
7 pounds
of jam

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Gaza Kitchen

By Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt

Published 2021

About

This addictive conserve is sought out in Gaza City’s public markets in the fall, from the few remaining vendors who still make it by hand. Soaking the pumpkins in limewater helps them retain their shape and gives them a slight crunch; skip this step and you will end up with mush.

Ingredients

¼ cup (32 grams) calcium hydroxide (also called hydrated lime, pickling lime, or slaked lime)
5

Method

Dissolve the pickling lime in 5 cups (approximately 1 liter) of boiling water. Cover this and set it aside overnight. Two layers will form: the calcium water and the solids. Use the water and discard the s