Agra ka Petha

Agra ka Petha

Agra ka Petha

Veg Vegan

Candied translucent cubes of ash gourd (winter melon) cooked in sugar syrup until they take on a crystalline, jewel-like appearance — the defining sweet of Agra, sold in dozens of flavours including saffron, angoori (grape), and plain white. A GI-tagged confection inseparable from the city.

Cuisines

Brij

Best for

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 30 min Cook: 60 min Total: 90 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Ash Gourd 500 grams Ash Gourd , peeled and diced
lime 1 teaspoon Lime , calcium hydroxide
sugar 2 cups Sugar
water 4 cups Water
rose water 1 teaspoon Rose water
kewra essence — Kewra essence , few drops
Green Food Color — Green Food Color , optional

Instructions

  1. 1 Peel the ash gourd and remove the seeds. Cut it into 1-inch cubes.
  2. 2 Dissolve the lime in enough water to cover the ash gourd pieces. Soak the pieces in this solution for 2 hours.
  3. 3 Rinse the ash gourd pieces thoroughly under running water to remove any traces of lime.
  4. 4 Boil the pieces in water for about 10 minutes until they are slightly tender. Drain and set aside.
  5. 5 In a separate pan, combine sugar and water to make a syrup. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer until it reaches a one-string consistency.
  6. 6 Add the boiled ash gourd pieces to the sugar syrup and cook on a low flame until the pieces become translucent and absorb the syrup.
  7. 7 Stir in the rose water, kewra essence, and food color (if using). Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.
  8. 8 Allow the petha to cool completely before serving.

Tips

Ensure the lime is completely washed off to avoid any bitter taste in the petha.