Dates & Paneer Peda | Peda Without Condensed Milk

Dates & paneer peda, a milk sweet made with crumbled paneer, sweetened with dates paste and flavored with cardamom and cloves. A quick and easy fudge recipe without condensed milk.

Dates Peda | Paneer peda | Paneer peda with dates | Dessert with dates paste | Milk sweet | Finger food | How to make peda without sugar | Easy paneer dessert recipe | Paneer desserts | Peda recipe without sugar | Easy Peda recipe for Rakshabandhan | Milk based dessert | Peda without condensed milk

Peda | Pedha | Pera | Petha

What is this peda? It is a mithai, sweet from the Indian subcontinent. It is also known by other spellings like pedha, penda and pera. The word peda, also generically means a sphere of any doughy substance such as flour or khoa.

Usually prepared in thick, semi-soft rounds, the main ingredients of Petha are khoa, sugar with traditional flavorings including cardamom seeds, pistachio nuts and saffron. The color of a peda, varies from a creamy white to a caramel color.

Pedha originated from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. From Uttar Pradesh, the peda spread to many parts of the Indian subcontinent. Thakur Ram Ratan Singh of Lucknow who migrated to Dharwad in 1850, the present-day Karnataka, introduced pedas there. This distinct variety is now famous as the Dharwad pedha. Read this article about the famous Dharwad peda, a dessert with a GI tag from Government of India.

Another interesting article about Pakistan's Badauni Petha, a sweet delicacy that crossed borders during partition and is now a famous dessert.

Some Peda Recipes in my Kitchen

More than the rich cultural heritage, it is the simplicity and the versatility of Pedas , they are quite popular in many households.

Though the traditional process of making requires boiling the milk down to a thick fudgy consistency called khoa, we now have our condensed milk and milk powder, that makes our job very easy.

Here are some quick and easy peda recipes Kesar doodh peda, Chocolate fudge and bright colored carrot peda made without condensed milk .

If you are looking for some exotic recipes of fudge with nuts, chocolate or nutella, check the list below

• Almond fudge : A parsi special, made with almonds
• Dark chocolate & Peanut fudge
• Nutella Fudge
• Mixed Nuts Fudge : A vegan fudge

Ingredients for Paneer Dates Pedha

• Main Ingredients : Paneer and dates paste are the main ingredients. you can also use dates instead of dates paste.
• Add-ons : Milk powder, ghee and fresh milk are used in this delish dates peda recipe. Both milk powder and fresh milk help in binding and volume of the pedha.

• Flavorings : I have used traditional cardamom and cloves as flavors in this paneer peda.
• Garnish : Pistachio silvers as garnish, adds a lovely contrast to this dark colored dates peda.

Stepwise Instructions to make Paneer Peda

Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions

• Measure and keep all ingredients ready on the counter.
• In a heavy bottom pan, add a teaspoon of ghee, add the crumbled paneer and saute for 2 minutes.
• To this now add dates paste and mash it well to mix with the crumbled paneer. Add powdered cardamom and clove powder to this and mix well.
• Next add milk powder and milk to this and mix well. All the liquid will be absorbed immediately and the fudge will start coming together.
• Add 1 teaspoon of ghee frequently atleast for 4 times to the fudge as it starts coming together. After 8-10 minutes in simmer flames, the fudge will start coming with the ladle without sticking to the pan.

• Once the fudge doesnt stick to the bottom, remove it onto a flat plate , let it come to touchable warm. Use a melon baller and divide the fudge into 16 individual portions.
• Flatten the fudge and garnish it with silvered pistachios . It will still be delicate to touch, i refrigerated it for 10 minutes, then the shape stayed.
• The peda might stay good on the kitchen counter for a day or two. But i still prefer to refrigerate it as it contains paneer and milk powder.