Diwali Recipes : Kutchi Peda

Kutchi Peda
Peda is the king of all sweets. Its an inevitable sweet for any Indian especially if you Kutchi. If  you have a marraige in your family ,you have to distribute Peda as a means of sharing happiness to everyone of your relatives, if you’ve got a baby you need Peda for good luck, if you have got a new car, you need Peda for it and so on. Its like a must sweet for Kutchis. Kachchhi Peda is a kind of semi hard, brown and Roasted Peda. Its very famous in local villages in Kutch.

Peda Recipe

Ingredients  
1/2 kg. Soft white mawa ( khoya)
2 1/2 cups (approx.300gms) sugar powdered
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
1 tsp. cardamom seeds semi crushed
1 tbsp. slivered or crushed pistachios

Method :
Grate mawa( khoya )with a steel (not iron) grater.Add powdered sugar and mix well.
Put mixture in a large heavy or nonstick pan. Heat first on high for few minutes.Then on slow till done.
Make sure to stir continuously, while on heat. When mixture is thickened  , add cardamom.
Mix well, and take off fire. Allow to cool, gently turning occasionally.
Use cookie moulds, or shape pedas with palms into patty rounds.
Mix pistachios and cardamom seeds and press a bit on top of each.
If using moulds, first sprinkle some at bottom. Take some mixture and press into mould. When set well, invert and carefully, unmould.
Tip :
Given above is the basic recipe. Any color (yellow, orange, green, chocolate brown), essence (pineapple, orange, pista, chocolate), topping (almonds, walnuts, cashews), can be added to the recipe. You can also add any of following for varied flavors: cashew powder 1/2 cup, cocoa 2 tbsp (then increase sugar by 1/2 cup), walnuts powdered 1/2 cup, etc.