Monday, November 8, 2010

Pedas, Round 2


Clearly I loved pedas enough to give them a second go-round when my first recipe didn't go as planned.  This time, I went straight to the source: Vidya Maushi.  I think the first peda I ever had was hers (probably when I was 13).  What better time to try this out then for DESSERT FEST 2010!


I guess Indian desserts generally use dry-milk powder.  Probably because anything fresh would go bad in like, a day?  I think gulab jamun also uses dry-milk powder.


Here we are mixing the ingredients


And this is what the mixture comes to look like...I had to do this twice because the first time I cooked it too much and it was hard as a rock.  This dough was mildly sticky and soft.


Grinding some pistachios


Pedas, recipe by Vidya Maushi  

Makes about 30-40 pieces, depending on how many and how big you make the patties
  • 1/2 pint whipping cream (the smallest size)
  • 3 cups dry milk powder
  • a few pieces of saffron
  • about 1/2 a tsp. of cardamom powder (really to your taste)
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar 
  • 1/2 tbsp. pistachios or other nuts, ground in a mortar/pestle or a coffee bean grinder (as shown above)
Mix the milk powder, whipping cream and sugar together in a skillet/pan (preferably non-stick) on a low flame, stirring continuously.

Add the saffron and the cardamom powder and cook until the mixture thickens.  It will form into a soft lump and pull away from the sides of the skillet.  At this stage, it will be some-what liquidy, and this is exactly what you want.  I made the mistake of cooking it till it was more doughy, and that is how I got my piece of rock dough that could have broken a window.

Cool the mixture for about 15- 25 minutes.  Once it is cooled, it will be sticky, but not too soft.  Form this into the peda shape you see above.  It really depends on how many you want to make - you can make them bigger and have a few less.  Sprinkle some of the pistachios or whatever nut your heart so desires on top, along with any remaining cardmom you might have. 

The end result: AMAZING! FANTASTIC! JUST as delicious as I remembered.  This recipe will now be my go-to recipe for pedas.

Well, I am happy that my repertoire of Indian desserts is slowly growing!  Maybe somehow I can move these into ice cream form...

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