Paan Peda
Soft mawa pedas flavored with fresh betel leaves, rose water, and a touch of mukhwas. Natural green color, no food dye, ready in about 20 minutes for Diwali and festive mithai boxes.
Ingredients
For the paan paste
- 2 tablespoons milk 30 ml
- 1 tablespoon rose water 15 ml
- 2 to 3 large paan leaves betel leaves; 9 to 10 grams total
For the peda
- 1 cup mawa khoya; 200 grams, thawed if frozen
- ½ cup granulated white sugar 100 grams
Garnish
- Mukhwas (mouth freshener), to taste
Instructions
Make the paan paste
- Rinse paan leaves and pat dry. Add to a blender with milk and rose water.
- Blend until smooth and green, scraping down the sides once if needed. Set aside.
Cook the peda mixture
- Heat a heavy pan over medium heat. Add mawa and roast 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells warm and nutty.
- Add sugar and stir until it starts to melt into the mawa.
- Pour in the paan paste and mix well. Immediately reduce heat to low.
- Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for about 13 minutes. The mixture will bubble, thicken, and eventually leave the sides of the pan while still looking glossy and pourable, like molten lava.
- Turn off the heat at that stage. Do not cook until thick or dry, or the pedas will turn chewy.
Shape and set
- Transfer the hot mixture to parchment paper or a lightly greased plate. Let it cool until you can handle it comfortably.
- Grease your palms lightly if needed. Divide into about 10 portions and roll into rough balls.
- Refrigerate 30 minutes until firm enough to shape cleanly.
- Press each peda with a mold, cookie stamp, or your palms into a flat round. Garnish with mukhwas.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days.
Notes
Mawa: use thawed frozen mawa from the Indian store freezer section; Vadilal is a reliable brand in our kitchen. Homemade mawa or milk-powder khoya also works.
Brighter green: add a tiny drop of green food color to the paan paste if your leaves are pale; the natural leaf color alone is usually enough.
Stuffing: make an indent in each warm peda and fill with gulkand (rose petal jam) or chopped pistachios before sealing.
White chocolate dip: dip chilled pedas halfway in melted white chocolate for an extra festive finish.
Undercooked fix: if pedas will not hold shape after cooling, return the mixture to the pan on low heat and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
Make ahead: flavor improves the next day; shape and refrigerate the night before your party.
Serve chilled on a platter with easy rice kheer with millet swaps or kesar badam chia pudding for variety.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!