A traditional Indian mithai, that is synonymous with the Indian cuisine is the humble peda. It is by far the oldest traditional sweet in our country dating back for centuries.Made differently in different parts of the country, each region has its own speciality.
Often made during festivals or special occasions, pedas are sold all round the year at all sweet meat stores.
A classic peda is made using mawa and sugar that is flavoured with saffron and cardamom finished off with some nuts. Needless to say the addition of ghee makes the peda It is just as easy as it can get, that you can whip up in your own kitchen instead of running to the mithaiwala.
The word 'peda' usually means round balls made from any dough. The Mithai peda here is made of khoya/mawa dough. Pedas were originated in the state of Uttar pradesh and the variety available in the city of Mathura is considered to be the best one. Eventually the recipe spread out across India and now you cannot find a town where peda is not made.
There are many variations of these pedas, some use mawa, while other also use condensed milk, milk powder, or even milk. Although it is usually flavoured with saffron & cardamom, to make it a tad bit different, cocoa powder or coffee powder is added to give a twist to the classic peda.
So here it is, a list of pedas for you to choose from and make or the next festival, or special occasion in your house.
