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I’ll be honest, I didn’t know anything about the Rajasthani petha until a contestant on Kaun Banega Crorepati happened to mention it on the show very recently. For the longest time, Rajasthan had been the land of fiery mutton curries, or comforting Dal Baati Churma and loaded Pyaaz Kachoris for me, seldom did the desserts of Rajasthan made it to my bucket list, unless of course, it was the season of Ghewar. Yes, the same honeycomb-like dessert that only makes its appearance in monsoons. So, what do the people in Rajasthan eat to appease their sweet cravings for the rest of the year, you ask? Plenty of other equally rich and iconic sweets, it turns out. From the milk cakes of Alwar to the Boondi ladoos of Jaipur, the range is tempting and variegated. The Rajasthani petha is also one of the sweet treats that has a loyal fan following of its own.
Rajasthani Petha Vs. Agra Ka Petha
Now, when you think of petha, our mind is instantly drawn towards Agra ka Petha. It is perhaps the most renowned things in Agra after the Taj Mahal. It is a sweet, chewy candy, the translucent-looking treat is dipped in sugar syrup and dusted off with powdered sugar. The core ingredient of the Agra ka petha is white pumpkin, which is also incidentally known as Petha in Hindi. Rajasthani Petha, on the other hand, is radically different from Agra ka Petha. It is not chewy, but firm and almost brittle. It is made with maida and looks much like ‘Shakkar Para’. They are fried, unlike the Agra ka petha that are dissolved in lime water solution, soaked, washed and dried. Covered in white powdered sugar, it makes for an excellent tea-time snack. Here’s how you can make it at home.
How To Make Rajasthani Petha:
- 250 Grams Maida
- 250 Grams Sugar
- 60 Grams Ghee
- 1/4th Cup of Water
- Lukewarm water to knead
- 2 tsp rose water
- Oil for frying
Method:
1. Mix maida and ghee, until it starts to bind.
2. Then add water to make a firm dough.
3. Pull out about 10-12 chunks.
4.Now roll out thick rotis on a rolling pin.
5. Cut out the pethas of desired shapes, do not make them too thin, keep them at least half an inch wide.
6. Heat oil and on medium flame, fry the pethas.
7. Take them out on a plate and let them cool for at least 2-3 hours.
8. Now make sugar syrup in another pan of two-string consistency.
9. Mix in the rose water. You can also add saffron essence.
10. Add the Pethas and mix quickly, do not keep them there for too long.
11. Fry the pethas in sugar syrup until the sugar starts to become white on top.
12. Take out the pethas. Drain excess sugar.
13. You can also store the pethas in an air-tight container for about a month or two.
