Kesar peda is a classic Indian sweet dish made with Kesar (saffron), milk / mawa (khoya) / Powdered milk and sugar. A saffron yellow-coloured saffron-flavoured Indian dessert garnished with saffron strands and pistachio on top is surely identified by Kesar Peda. Perfect dessert for traditional Indian festivals Holi, Diwali or Raksha Bandhan.
Kesar means saffron in English and peda is a milk (mainly mawa or khoya made) made traditional North Indian sweets. I made Kesar Peda with a few simple ingredients like Milk, Milk powder, Kesar or saffron, powdered sugar, green cardamom(elaichi) powder, ghee and pistachios. Though I use a small portion of milk powder with milk. However, no direct khoya or mawa or no condensed milk or no cream or no food colour is used for making this dish.
In this peda I used original kesar strands but you can use saffron flavour and food-graded saffron colour instead. Try to use full cream milk or mix a small portion of milk powder or condensed milk with milk to get a good amount of khoya or mawa. This mawa is so soft and creamy that helps you to make the best peda which easily melts in your mouth.
I make Kesar peda by first boiling the milk with milk powder and saffron strands soaked milk. Boil the milk until the milk gets thick and turned into saffron yellow-coloured soft and creamy khoya or mawa. Mix up the kesari Khoya with powdered sugar, freshly ground green cardamom and little ghee to form the shape of peda. Garnish the peda with pistachio by putting it on its top. So simple right?
I often prepare this peda at home and sometimes brought from my favourite Kartik sweets (in Bangalore).
So now you have two options. Either you can make this sweet at home by following my steps or order it online. Do anything to cheer this festive mood. But if you try my recipe and that makes you happy then please let me know your valuable feedback in the comment section below.
Want to check some other Indian Sweet recipes for Holi then click the link below –
Doodh Peda or Milk Peda recipe
Mathura Peda recipe
Rabri recipe
Kalakand recipe
Kesar Peda recipe – Kesar Peda with Milk and Milk Powder – Traditional Indian dessert for Holi and Diwali festival
Course: Sweet Dish, DessertCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy25
servings10
minutes30
minutes300
kcal40
minutesKesar peda is a classic Indian sweet dish made with Kesar (saffron), milk / mawa (khoya) / Powdered milk and sugar. I made Kesar Peda with a few simple ingredients like Milk, Milk powder, Kesar or saffron, powdered sugar, green cardamom(elaichi) powder, ghee and pistachios. Perfect dessert for traditional Indian festivals Holi, Diwali or Raksha Bandhan.
Ingredients of Kesar Peda
1 small portion of Kesar or Saffron Strands
1 litre of Milk (Preferably Full Cream Milk)
1/2 cup Milk Powder (Dairy whitener)
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
10 -12 Green Cardamom Seeds (Ground or powder)
1 tsp Ghee
Pistachio (For garnishing)
How to make Kesar Peda with Milk and Milk Powder
- For making kesar peda, first, take 1 cup (250 ml) of milk from the 1-litre milk and mix it with milk powder. Stir well to keep the mix lump free.
- Then Mix the “milk powder mixed milk” with the rest of the milk.
- Start boiling the milk on medium heat.
- Once the milk starts boiling, take a tablespoon of milk and soak a small portion of saffron strands into the hot milk. Soak the saffron strands for 10 mins.
- After 10 mins, when the saffron strands get soft, mash the strands with your fingertips. And mix the mashed saffron strands with the milk.
- This method will help to get an intense colour from saffron.
- Add the saffron-soaked milk into the boiling milk, mix it well and keep boiling the milk.
- Boil the milk with continuous stirring until the milk gets thick and turned into creamy yellow rabri or mawa.
- Then turn off the heat and completely cool down the rabri or mawa by occasionally stirring.
- Once mawa is at room temperature, then mix 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (plain sugar simply ground in a blender).
- Then mix with 10-12 freshly ground green cardamom (elaichi) powder with the mawa mixture.
- Lastly, mix 1 tsp of ghee with the mixture.
- Now grease your palm with slight ghee and form the peda with your desired shape. If, seems the peda dough is too soft and hard to shape up. Then keep the peda mixture in the refrigerator for 10 -15 mins before giving it a shape.
- Kesar Peda is ready, garnish this sweet with pistachio sleeves and saffron strands (though garnishing is optional).
- Serve this dessert to your family and friends to celebrate this festive season.
How to make Kesar Peda with Milk and Milk Powder
- First, take 1 cup (250 ml) of milk from the 1-litre milk and mix it with milk powder. Stir well to keep the mix lump free.
2. Then Mix the “milk powder mixed milk” with the rest of the milk.
3. Start boiling the milk on medium heat.
4. Once the milk starts boiling, take a tablespoon of milk and soak a small portion of saffron strands into the hot milk. Soak the saffron strands for 10 mins.
5. After 10 mins, when the saffron strands get soft, mash the strands with your fingertips. And mix the mashed saffron strands with the milk.
6. This method will help to get an intense colour from saffron. As shown in the picture below.
7. Add the saffron soaked milk into the milk , mix it well and keep boiling the milk.
8. Boil the milk with continuous stirring until the milk gets thick and turned into creamy yellow rabri or mawa. As shown in the pic below.
9. Then turn off the heat and completely cool down the rabri or mawa by occasionally stirring.
10. Once mawa is at room temperature, then mix 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (plain sugar simply ground in a blender).
11. Then mix with 10-12 freshly ground green cardamom (elaichi) powder with the mawa mixture.
12. Lastly, mix 1 tsp of ghee with the mixture.
13. Now grease your palm with slight ghee and form the peda with your desired shape. If seems the peda dough is too soft and hard to shape up. Then keep the peda mixture in the refrigerator for 10 -15 mins before giving it a shape.
14. Kesar Peda is ready, garnish this sweet with pistachio sleeves and saffron strands (though garnishing is optional).
15. Serve this dessert to your family and friends to celebrate this festive season.
