Makkan Peda – Arcot spl sweet

Makkan peda are very very famous sweet in Arcot I first heard about this sweet in an regional tamil TV show where she used khoa for making them but I have experimented this cheat recipe for makkan peda if you are out of khoa available 😉 . I have made use of Instant home made khoa by using milk pd and cream which can an be prepared in minutes and can be used in any dessert which calls for khoa . I made the authentic Arcot , Tamil Nadu spl Makkan peda with this Instant and quick to make khoa . I was so happy after seeing the results . I bet No one will find out you have made this sweet with milk pd and cream . My H was asking me whether you made this with  khoa isn’t it ??? 😉  so it tastes very very similar and thus I invented a cheat recipe for makkan peda today :). 

Makkan Peda is a very popular sweet in arcot, tamil nadu ( south India)  mainly in Northern part of arcot and also famous by the name of Arcot sweet . This delicious sweet is similar to khoa gulab jamun but they are given peda shape . A traditionally this sweet is made with home made khoa which is made by thickening milk in low flame till form a mass , which is a very long process.So using Milk pd and cream will make it much more easier and very quick to make .This sweet is an integrate part of arcot tradition which prepared there from generations  over there and each every sweet stall will have this peda on their menu. some dry fruits are stuffed in this peda traditionally but as have done the cheat version I haven’t tried stuffing them but you can do so. My cheat method was so liked by H and he was so immersed and glad to taste this tamil nadu arcot sweet at home 🙂 They turned out super soft  and delicious . Let move on to Tamizhar samayal Tuesday spl  recipe – Makkan Peda

For  Peda

Milk pd  ( I used Instant Non fat Milk pd) – 1 cup
Heavy cream – 1/2 cup
Maida – 2 tbsp ( If you feel the dough is very loose after adding it to khoa and mixing them only then add extra maida else not required)
Baking soda – A pinch

For Sugar  syrup 

1 1/2  cup – sugar
1/4 cup – water 
saffron – few strands
cardamon pd – 1/4 tsp

To garnish


Chopped nuts  ( almonds, pistachios and cashews) 

Method

To make Pedas

•  In a pan put cream and milk powder give it a mix.
• Now turn on the stove and stir them constantly till they form a mass without any lumps  and doesn’t stick to the pan anymore.
• Switch of the flame and transfer this to another bowl.
• Now let the khoa sit till it cools down a bit and is easy to handle .
• After the khoa cools down a bit add maida, baking soda and knead well to form a smooth dough .
• If the dough is crumbly you can add few drops of water to make it smooth .
• Divide the dough into equal sized balls and form disc shape and set aside covered.

For sugar syrup

• To prepare sugar syrup put sugar and water in a saucepan and heat it.
• Boil them till all the sugar is melted no need to see for one or two string consistency for this .
• Heat the syrup till it bubbles well and  is a bit thick.
• Add saffron strands and cardamom pd and switch of the flame .

How to proceed

• Now heat oil in a kadai and start frying the pedas in a low flame one by one till they turn golden brown from both sides.
• Once they are fried and golden brown immediately remove the pedas  from oil with a ladle and transfer it to the Hot syrup ( The syrup should be hot still).
• Do this till all the pedas are fried and immersed in to sugar syrup
• Let the pedas sit in sugar syrup till the pedas are well absorbed with syrup.
• It will take less time for pedas to absorb the syrup as the Hot pedas are immersed in Hot syrup so it helps in absorbing the syrup soon.
• Serve the Makkan pedas with little sugar syrup  and garnished with some chopped nut .

Tips 

• While making Instant khoa that is while heating up milk pd and cream stir them constantly less it might burn .
• Knead the pedas well and form them in to a smooth dough. Don’t get tempted to add water in go just a drops and try to form a smooth dough.
• Fry the peda’s in a very low flame till golden brown . These are very soft so be  cautious while frying.
• Sugar syrup doesn’t need any one or two consistency when it starts bubbling then your syrup is ready.
• You can also make you of  fresh khoa  if have instead of milk pd and cream . You can just milk maida , baking soda and form a dough with it too by adding little water .
• To avoid cracks while shaping them you can grease your palms lightly .

Linking this to Tamizhar samayal Tuesday whose brain child is +nalini suresh .