Pumpkin Candy - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 sugar pumpkin, about 3 lbs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
water
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 lemon
4 sprigs fresh cilantro

Preparation

Peel and seed pumpkin and cut into 2x4-inch strips.
Put strips into bowl just big enough to hold them.
Stir baking soda into enough water to cover strips. Pour over strips and let stand 12 hours.
Drain and rinse strips in running water.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop strips into water. Cook until tender but not soft.
Remove strips and crisp in ice cold water. Drain.
Juice lemon and cut zest into strips.
Combine sugar, lemon juice, zest, cilantro and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, then boil slowly without stirring for 10 minutes.
Add pumpkin strips, cover pot, and simmer for 20 minutes, until syrup is thick and strips are brittle.
Spread candy on wax paper and let dry for 10 hours.
Store pieces in an airtight container.