Divali Bites: Instant Milk Pedas In Under 20 Minutes
MAKE DIVALI SPECIAL WITH DAIRY DAIRY
The official Milky Milk of Trinidad and Tobago, Dairy Dairy is a household staple that’s synonymous with good health, family, and Trini culture. This Divali, share the love with mithai and sweets infused with the rich, creamy flavour of Dairy Dairy. Sourced from the best dairy producers worldwide, a touch of Dairy Dairy is all you need to bring your Divali treats to life.
Whether you know it simply as the festival of lights, a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, or a lavish extravaganza of colour, fireworks, and oil-laden diyas, there’s one Divali tradition that everyone seems to look forward to: the sweets!
With enough variety to satiate even the most discerning of palates, Divali sweets might just be the highlight of our festival calendars…and the reason our clothes seem to fit just a little bit snugger towards the end of the year.
Traditionally known as mithai, they usually fall under different categories. Most like Gulab Jamuns, Jalebis, and Rasmalais, are notoriously rich, often milk-based, sometimes fried, and infused with spices like saffron, cardamom and cinnamon. Others, like halwa feature fruits and vegetables with a nut or flour base, and have a more fudge-like consistency.
And then of course, there are the laddoos, katlis, barfis, and our personal favourite, pedas.
Historically invented in the central Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, pedas are thick, semi-soft, round sweets made of sugar, spices, and a milk derivative called khoya, and are most reminiscent of a milky fudge.
Or, in other words, little bites of heaven.
If you’re looking for an authentic (and might we say, low-carb) Indian sweet to add to your usual repertoire of kurmas, barfis, peeras, and laddoos, give this recipe a try.
All you need is 20 minutes, 6 ingredients, and a touch of love.
Happy cooking!
STEP 1: ADD YOUR INGREDIENTS
Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a thick-bottomed, non-stick pan. Once the ghee has melted, add in 1 tin of sweetened condensed milk and 1.5 cups of Dairy Dairy powdered milk. Using a spatula, stir the mixture constantly until the powdered milk has melted and formed a smooth dough.
STEP 2: FLAVOUR TIME
Soak a few strands of saffron in 2 tbsp of mixed, warm Dairy Dairy milk and add to the peda dough. Stir until the mixture starts to thicken, and then add in 1/2 tsp cardamom powder and 1 tbsp of ghee. Continue stirring until the dough comes together, begins to firm up, and separates from the pan.
STEP 3: SHAPE IT UP
Place the dough on a plate and allow it to cool until it’s lukewarm to the touch. Break off small pieces of peda dough and form into even balls. If the dough seems sticky or crumbly, first grease your hands with some ghee. Lastly, press a nut or dried fruit of your choice into the peda, cool, and serve.
