Each August, as the monsoon brings cooler evenings, our home lights up in anticipation of Janmashtami, the celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth. The festival is marked by fasting through the day and jubilant puja at midnight. We decorate the puja room with diyas, rangoli designs, and peacock feathers (symbols of Krishna), waiting eagerly to break the fast with a special bhog of sweets. In my childhood memories, the most magical part of Janmashtami night was the kitchen filled with the aroma of milk, cardamom, and saffron. My mother would gently simmer khoya (reduced milk solids) with sugar, cardamom and saffron, chanting childhood prayers, as we peeped into the pot, mouths watering for the first bite of warm pedas.
The saffron-hued pedas on a traditional brass plate, dotted with bright green pistachios and lit by oil lamps, capture the golden glow of Janmashtami celebrations. Pedas like these are more than sweets; they are offerings to the child-god. It is believed that Krishna loved milk sweets, and one legend explains how peda was “born”: Krishna’s mother Yashoda accidentally left a pan of boiling milk on too long, then mixed in sugar to salvage it, creating the first peda. Krishna loved it so much that offering peda to him became tradition in Mathura (his birthplace). Indeed, Mathura’s famous Mathura pedas are a Janmashtami specialty. In fact, tradition holds that preparing and offering sweets like pedas to Lord Krishna brings prosperity and happiness.
Drawing on these memories, we make kesar (saffron) khoya pedas each Janmashtami. A few saffron strands steeped in warm milk lend the pedas their rich golden hue and delicate aroma – an apt nod to the “kesari” color often associated with sacred Hindu festivities. As Sharmili’s Kitchen notes, the traditional recipe uses khoya, sugar, saffron, and cardamom to evoke Krishna’s favorite flavors. Crumbled with love and shaped by hand, these sweet milk pedas are soft, melt-in-the-mouth, and crowned with slivers of pistachio for crunch and color.
Ingredients
1 cup (about 200 g) khoya (mawa), grated (use fresh or store-bought evaporated milk solids)
1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
A pinch of saffron strands (5–6 strands), soaked in 1–2 tablespoons warm milk for color and aroma
2–3 tablespoons whole milk (to help mix/soften)
1–2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), optional (for richness and to prevent sticking)
Chopped pistachios (or slivered almonds) for garnish
Instructions
1. Prepare saffron milk: Soak the saffron strands in warm milk for 10–15 minutes to release color and flavor. This will tint the pedas a golden hue.
2. Cook khoya mixture: In a heavy-bottomed pan on low heat, crumble the grated khoya and add sugar and cardamom. Stir gently to combine. (Pro tip: cook on very low heat so the khoya doesn’t brown too much.) Add the saffron-infused milk and ghee. Stir continuously. You’ll first see the sugar melt and the mixture become moist, then slowly thickening. Keep stirring to prevent sticking or burning. Continue cooking until the mixture turns into a soft, pliable dough and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. This step can take several minutes but is key for smooth pedas.
3. Cool and knead: Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool slightly until it’s warm enough to handle. If it feels too sticky, you can stir in a little more warm milk or ghee. Once warm (but not hot), knead the khoya mixture with a spatula or lightly with your hands until smooth. It should hold together without crumbling.
4. Shape the pedas: Divide the mixture into small portions (about 12 for medium pedas). Roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball, then flatten slightly into a thick disc. You can use a traditional peda mold or simply press a fork or the back of a spoon to make a pattern on top. Garnish each peda by gently pressing a few slivered pistachios or almonds onto the surface.
5. Finish and serve: Arrange the pedas on a decorative plate. They will firm up as they cool. You can serve them immediately (still soft and warm) or refrigerate for a couple of hours to set. The pedas keep for a few days in an airtight container at room temperature, but they’re at their creamiest on the first day.
“With these tender saffron-khoya pedas, each bite feels like a blessing passed down from childhood,” I remember thinking with every Janmashtami. The warm golden sweets symbolize the joy and devotion of the festival. Serving them on a brass thali with lit diyas and maybe a peacock feather nearby brings the story of Krishna’s playful, sweet-loving youth right into our home each year. Enjoy this peda recipe as a festive offering or simply a nostalgic treat that connects us to the pure sweetness of Lord Krishna’s teachings.
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