Hatay Pumpkin Dessert Product Description and Distinguishing Features: Hatay Pumpkin Dessert is a traditional sweet made by soaking winter squash varieties, Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita moschata, in lime water and then cooking them in a sweet syrup. The dessert is typically served cut into crescent or cube shapes, optionally topped with tahini and sprinkled with crushed walnuts. Thanks to the lime soaking process, the outer layer of the pumpkin becomes firm, smooth, and takes on a glossy, glass-like texture, while the inside remains soft and tender. When opened, Hatay Pumpkin Dessert can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week, and if kept in vacuum-sealed packaging, its shelf life extends to one month. The history of Hatay Pumpkin Dessert stretches back many years and is closely tied to the unique characteristics of its native region. In particular, the process of soaking the pumpkin in lime cream demands considerable skill and knowledge. Because of this, the dessert’s fame is strongly linked to its geographical origin. Production Method: To prepare the lime cream used in making Hatay Pumpkin Dessert, 1 kg of unslaked lime is mixed with 9 liters of water in a container, stirred well, and left to settle overnight. The lime particles sink to the bottom, and the clear liquid above is known as lime cream. The pumpkins are then washed, halved, and their seeds removed. After peeling the skins, the pumpkins are sliced lengthwise into crescent-shaped pieces about 2-4 cm thick and layered in a container. Lime cream is poured over the slices until they are completely submerged. Following a rest period of at least one night in the lime cream, the pumpkins become firm due to calcium ions diffusing from the lime into the flesh. This diffusion creates a calcium concentration gradient, resulting in the outermost layers being the hardest, while the center remains softer. As a result, Hatay Pumpkin Dessert has a crunchy exterior and a tender, soft interior. The pumpkin pieces are removed from the lime cream, soaked in water for several hours, and rinsed multiple times. Meanwhile, a syrup is prepared by boiling white sugar and water in equal parts (1:1). The pumpkin slices are placed in this syrup, and lemon salt is added at a rate of 5-10 grams per kilogram of pumpkin. The mixture is cooked over medium heat until the pumpkins absorb the syrup, with cooking ending when the syrup halfway fills the holes made by a fork in the pumpkin slices. After resting for a day, Hatay Pumpkin Dessert is either packaged directly or vacuum-sealed for sale. Once opened, it can be kept refrigerated for up to one week, while vacuum-sealed packaging extends its shelf life to one month. The dessert is served by cutting it into crescent or cube shapes, optionally topped with tahini and sprinkled with crushed walnuts.