As holidays such as Karva Chauth or Diwali approach, preparations for various sweets begin in homes. There is a concern that commercially produced confectionery items may contain impurities, so during this festive season, it is recommended to prepare pure and nutritious dishes at home. If you want to try something healthy and tasty during this festive period, milk peda made with jaggery and dried fruits is an ideal choice. It is not only very delicious but also healthy.
Below is a simple recipe for this dessert.
The following ingredients are needed: 1 liter of full cream milk, ½ cup of jaggery powder or grated jaggery (to taste), 2 tablespoons of dried fruits (crushed almonds, cashews, pistachios), ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom, and 1-2 teaspoons of butter.
First, bring the full cream milk to a boil in a thick-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. After boiling, reduce the heat and continue stirring constantly until the milk thickens to half its volume, reaching the consistency of mawa or khoya.
In a separate pan, melt a little butter and lightly fry the chopped almonds, cashews, and pistachios until golden brown. Then add this mixture to the milk mass.
When the milk has completely thickened and turned into mawa, turn off the stove and let the mixture cool slightly. It is important to remember that adding jaggery directly to boiling milk can cause the milk to curdle, so the sugar should be added when the mixture is slightly warm.
After that, stir in the ground cardamom, mixing thoroughly to give the dessert a pleasant aroma and taste. When the mass has cooled down a bit, grease your hands with a little butter. Then take small portions of this mass, shape them into balls, and gently press them with your thumb to form pedas.
For decoration on top, you can place a piece of pistachio or almond. The finished, delicious, and healthy milk peda with jaggery and dried fruits is ready. Prepare it for Diwali to delight family and guests.