Calabaza en Tacha – Dia de los Muertos 1

Calabaza en Tacha is a pre-hispanic desert, traditionally prepared as an offering to our deceased ancestors for Dia de los Muertos.  Originally the Mayans cooked the squash in a fire pit oven with honey.  Following the introduction of sugar cane in the new world, raw sugar, we know as piloncillo was made by concentrating sugar cane juice in cauldrons in a very large oven.  One of those cauldrons was known as “tacha” and the calabaza was cooked here in piloncillo syrup. 

Dia de los Muertos—the Day of the Dead—is a holiday celebrated on November 1. Although marked throughout Latin America, Dia de los Muertos is most strongly associated with Mexico, where the tradition originated.

Quilts by Helen Walsh – Placerville California

The ritual honors the dead with a lively, colorful and festive event dating back to the indigenous Mayans, Mexicas, Nahua  and Totonac peoples of Mesoamerica.  Flowers, gifts, fruits, candles and music, things the the dead enjoyed in life are displayed.  Catholicism came to Mexico with the Spanish conquistadores and in efforts to convert the people this ritual was commingled with All Saints Day and All Souls Day.  Tradition holds that the dead return to earth to visit their living relatives.  They are not seen but their presence is surely felt.

This pre-hispanic dish is also known as Calabaza en Miel o Dulce de Piloncillo. Now let’s get started making Calabaza en Tacha. 

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

2 lbs pumpkin squash (Delecata, Kabocha or  butternut variety)

6 oz piloncillo, (or dark brown sugar)

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup water

Preparation

Cut the pumpkin to about  2 by 3 inch pieces reserving about ¼ cup of seeds.  In a 3 quart pot or dutch oven add the piloncillo and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil and simmer until piloncillo is dissolved.   Add the pumpkin with reserved seeds and slowly simmer.

Stir and baste occasionally to prevent scorching until the pumpkin is tender and the liquid is reduced to a  viscous syrup.

Plating

As a dessert, plate and generously drizzle with the syrup or serve in a shallow bowl on milk.  It’s commonly served with milk for breakfast.

Notes

If you desire you can spice the syrup with clove, anise, orange juice and peel.  Some recipes exclude the pumpkin seeds and I was unable to learn why some recipes include them other than a comment that they add flavor. Not sure if it’s significant. I like them for the purpose of presentation of the dish.  Those field pumpkins sold for halloween are bred for perfect jack-o’-lanterns and tend to be too large and stringy for baking.

Buen Provecho

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