Agra petha
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Translucent, firm sweets made by cooking ash gourd in sugar syrup, the best-known sweet of Agra.
Region: AgraOccasion: Everyday sweet; gift from AgraTime: 1 hour + overnight soakingServes: About 500 gVegan
Ingredients
- 1 kg ripe ash gourd (petha / safed kaddu)
- 1 tbsp edible lime (chuna) dissolved in 8 cups water
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 cups water for the syrup
- ½ tsp cardamom powder or a few drops of kewra or rose water
Method
- Peel the ash gourd, remove seeds and the soft centre, and cut into 2-inch pieces. Prick each piece all over with a fork.
- Soak the pieces in the lime water overnight; this keeps them firm. Rinse very well several times.
- Boil the pieces in fresh water for 10 minutes until slightly translucent. Drain.
- Make a syrup with sugar and water, add the gourd and cook on medium heat until the pieces turn clear and the syrup thickens, 30–40 minutes.
- Add flavouring, then lift out the pieces and let them dry on a rack until the surface is dry and sugary.
History
Petha-making has been a trade in Agra for generations. Popular tradition links it to the Mughal era, but its exact origin is not recorded.
Significance
Agra's Noori Darwaza area is lined with petha shops, and a box of petha is the customary gift for anyone returning from Agra.