The most delicious and yet so simple to make recipe for milk pedhas. Who doesn't like to bite into a soft, mildly grainy milk pedha ?

Pedhas mean only one thing to me the world famous Dharwad pedhas which has remained a secret with virtually no recipe anywhere in the net. Many are trying to reproduce the same pedha but no where close to it in looks or taste. I am very partial to this pedha as I come from Dharwad myself and have been eating this marvelous sweet for as long as I remember.
Going down to the origins of pedhas .Dharwad pedha is a sweet delicacy unique to the state of Karnataka, India. It derives its name from the city of Dharwad inKarnataka.This sweet's history is around 175 years old.

Dharwad Pedha traces its historical origin to Thakur family which migrated from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh to Dharwad many generations ago .

The Thakur family has built the reputation of the ‘pedha’ with a missionary zeal. With no time, the ‘pedha’ became so popular that local people of Dharwad began identifying it by his name and as ‘Line Bazaar Pedha’ (the name of the street on which the shop is located).

The technique of preparing these ‘pedhas’ however remains a closely guarded trade secret, known only to the family members of Shri. Babusingh Thakur, as handed down the generations, by father to son. The ingredients include milk, sugar and thickened milk.It is made of milk which is heated and stirred continuously, with added flavour and sugar.

source WIKI

Well I can only sigh in nostalgia , but happily we have numerous recipes to make pedhas , most poplar among them is the method of using condensed milk and milk powder. I have also tried the same way and got excellent result. So even a novice in kitchen can easily prepare this as the list of ingredients is so simple with two main ingredients only.

Ingredients:

1. 1 can approx 400 gms condensed milk or make instant condensed milk at home in 10 minutes , check this blog for the recipe.2 cups of milk powder 

2. Pinch of saffron

3. 2 1/2 tbsp butterpinch of cardamompistachio slivered for garnish

Method

In a hard heavy bottomed pan preferably nonstick, open the condensed milk can and pour in pan .

Add the 2 cups of milk powder, saffron infused milk a tsp or so, pinch of cardamom , butter and keep on low flame .

The mixture will start coming together like a big mass ,as the butter will bring together the whole mixture in one lump, but don’t be in haste to remove from gas, as it should not be too soft a mass.

When you think, by testing a small pinch of the mixture, you can shape into pedhas, you may remove from the gas. Let it cool.

Shape into round pedhas or grease a plate and spread the thick mixture on the plate and smoothen the top. To make sure you get nice solid pieces instead of sticky ones , keep in fridge for some time.

In fact better to keep the cooked milk powder, condensed milk mass in the fridge for some time and then you proceed to pinch off balls for the pedhas. Shape into round or whatever shape youo desire and garnish with pistachio slivers.

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