Doce de Gila — Official DGADR Method
DGADR documents a complete proportional formula: after the fig-leaf gourd flesh is boiled, soaked, drained and weighed, exactly the same weight of sugar is added. The record preserves the traditional metal-free technique but gives no starting weight, timings, water or salt quantities, final syrup stage, yield or storage instructions.
- Yields
- Variable; depends on the drained flesh weight and is not stated
- Prep
- Not stated; includes a soak with no published duration
- Cook
- Not stated by the source
Ingredients
- Starting quantity and weight not stated Fig-leaf gourd
- Equal in weight to the boiled, soaked and drained flesh Sugar
- Quantity not stated Water for boiling and soaking
- Quantity not stated Salt for boiling
Method
Break the fig-leaf gourd by throwing it onto the ground, reducing it to pieces without using any metal object. The source gives neither fruit size or weight nor piece dimensions.
Remove the seeds, the attached yellow parts—described as ‘casings’—and most of the rind, retaining most of the flesh.
Heat the flesh with water and salt and leave it to boil. Water and salt quantities, heat level and duration are not published.
Remove any pieces of rind still attached and soak the flesh in cold water ‘for some time’. The source defines neither that interval nor a number of water changes.
Drain thoroughly and weigh the flesh. Weigh out exactly the same amount of sugar.
Combine the sugar and flesh and cook until it ‘reaches its stage’. The record defines no temperature, visual cue or test for that stage and gives no duration.
Sources for this recipe
The quantities and method were checked against the references below. Family recipes may vary; where no single official formula exists, we present a representative practical version and say so plainly.
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