STRAWBERRY GULKAND PENDA
Diwali is in four days. I really wanted to make penda this year, but not just the normal saffron cardamom penda that is usually found at the mithai stores. So I came up with this Strawberry Gulkand filled Penda that has been on my mind for a long while.
The strawberry is fresh strawberries as well as freeze dried strawberry powder to get a more potent strawberry flavor in the penda. It is hard to get that potent flavor otherwise from just the strawberry puree.
Ingredients for the Strawberry Gulkand Penda:
- Fresh Strawberries : I use fresh strawberries that have been washed and hulled, and then weighed to get 200 grams of it.
- Freeze dried Strawberry Powder: I use freeze dried strawberry powder to enhance the taste of strawberries.
- Granulated Sugar: The strawberries, freeze dried powder and sugar are all blended together in a high speed blender to form this smooth puree, which is then used to make the penda.
- Whole milk powder: I use this brand of whole milk powder. Do not use fat free whole milk powder, because else the pendas tend to break.
- Whole milk: gives it a creamy texture and brings everything together.
- Ghee: Ghee is a key ingredient for making penda, and for that additional fat to give it a nice shine and smoothness and that indulgent richness that is part of Diwali festivities!
- Cardamom and Saffron: Both go so well with strawberries and no penda is complete without these 2 ingredients. I always use cardamom seeds and coarsely grind it for any indian mithai, because it is more potent and gives a wonderful aroma, and flavor to the mithai.
- Gulkand: or Rose Jam, usually used in paan, is used in the center of this penda, to give a nice surprise in the middle. It is made with rose petals and sugar. You can find it at the grocery stores!
The pendas originated in Mathura, in Uttar Pradesh. They are traditionally made with khoya, which is essentially whole milk thickened over a period of time. It is khoya, sugar, cardamom and saffron that makes up the traditional penda. It is called peda, pera, pedha, in different parts of India. In Gujarat, it is called penda.
I grew up eating penda as part of the Diwali affairs. There are so many varieties of Penda that you get in the mithai stores. Chocolate penda, kaju pista penda, kesar penda, cardamom penda, mango penda etc, the list goes on!
I really wanted to make this strawberry rose penda, and with rose – gulkand came to my mind. I love gulkand and a tad bit in the center of this penda goes a long way.
The process to make this penda takes about 45 minutes, and a lot of stirring. The idea is to not let the bottom scorch even at low heat. It is a slow process, but you are essentially cooking off the liquids in the mixture and thickening the milk solids to form this absolutely delectable piece of sweet, that is a joy to devor!
The flavors all meld together beautifully, and it is not too sweet as well. I made it less sweet because of the gulkand in the middle.
TIPS for making good pendas:
- I weigh out all the ingredients, to ensure exact proportions anytime.
- I use whole milk powder. Do not use non fat milk powder. I tried it and it was a disaster.
- I use Americolor Tulip Red gel to give the pretty red hue.
- I weigh out each ball to about 32 grams each for exact shapes. It amounts to 14 pendas.
- I used a rose press shape, linked here, to make the beautiful rose shape.
- I store it on parchment paper, in an airtight container for freshness.
- Must be consumed within a week.
Hope these tips and tricks help you to make your own penda. Penda can be made with khoya, or condensed milk, as well. There are many ways to make penda, instant penda, microwave penda, etc etc. I have given you this method. And I hope it works for you and that you enjoy these gorgeous bites! 🙂
After more than a year full of turmoil, I hope you have a safe and wonderful Diwali celebration. Hoping lots of peace and love and good vibes to all of you! HAPPY DIWALI AND SAAL MUBARAK! 🙂
XO
Amisha
Strawberry Gulkand Penda
Ingredients
- 200 grams hulled strawberries
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp (24 gms) freeze dried strawberry powder
- 200 grams whole milk powder
- 1 cup (240 grams) whole milk, slightly warmed
- 2 tbsp ghee + 1 tsp ghee
- ¼ tsp cardamom seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar/pestel
- ¼ tsp saffron
- Drop of Tulip Red Americolor gel
- About ¼ cup gulkand (rose petal jam), found in Indian grocery stores
- Additional ghee for greasing purposes
- Garnish:
- Edible gold leaf
- Slivered pistachios
- Mold to shape the penda
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, blend the strawberries, sugar, and freeze dried powder until smooth in texture.
- In a large non-stick pan, add the strawberry mixture. Add the milk powder and using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined.
- Turn on the gas to low, add the whole milk and ghee, and start mixing it all together until it becomes cohesive.
- The mixture will be a thick consistency, yet fluid like, and you have to keep mixing it around, so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. The temperature has to be low throughout the process so as not to burn the mixture at the bottom of the pan.
- After about 10 minutes of cooking, add the coarsely ground cardamom, saffron and the red color and mix to combine.
- You have to cook the mixture, consistently stirring the mixture for around 45 minutes in total. It is an arm workout. The cooking of this mithai is a slow process.
- The water content in the mixture will slowly evaporate and the mixture will get thicker over time.
- At around 35~40 minutes, you will see that the mixture leaves the sides of the pan as you keep mixing the mixture. Add about 1 tsp ghee to retain the shine and smoothness.
- At around 45 you will see that the mixture is coming together and forms a dough as shown in the pictures above. You want to stop there.
- On a ghee-greased plate, put the dough onto the plate and pat it flat. Cover with a cloth/paper towel. Let it cool for about half an hour.
- Assembly:
- Using a weighing scale, weigh out about 33 grams of the dough, roll it out between your ghee-greased palms, and put it on a ghee-greased plate.
- Repeat for the entire dough. You will get around 14 pendas.
- Take about ½ tsp of the gulkand, make an indentation in one of the balls, place the gulkand in the middle. Wrap the penda around and roll into a ball. Set it aside.
- Repeat for the remaining 13 pendas.
- Using the mold, make the indentation/stamp onto the penda for a pretty shape.
- Place it on a parchment paper, inside a long airtight container.
- Let it set for 2 hours. Place an edible gold leaf piece on top of each penda, along with slivered pistachio pieces.
- Pendas are best eaten within a week of making.
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