Petha
Petha (Hindi: पेठा pronounced [ˈpeːʈʰaː]) is a translucent soft candy from Agra. Usually rectangular or cylindrical, it is made from the ash gourd vegetable (also known as winter melon or white pumpkin, or simply petha in Hindi and Urdu).[1]
- Not to be confused with Peda.
 | |
| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Agra, India |
| Region or state | India, Sri Lanka |
| Main ingredients | Ash gourd, sugar |
| Variations | Kesar petha, Angoori petha, dry petha, Lal petha, chocolate petha, slice petha, Pan Petha , gulab petha |
| Other information | Called Puhul Dosi in Sri Lanka |
With growing demand and innovation, more varieties of the original preparation are available. Many flavoured variants are available, e.g. kesar petha, angoori petha etc. There are some other variations based on content, one with coconut mixed, another with some nuts put into it. Sometimes kewda essence is used to flavour petha.[2]
History
The Petha is said to have originated in the kitchens of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.[3]
Petha manufactured in Agra is covered by a geographical indication label to certify its origin.[4] It is made from ash gourd and sugar.
See also
References
- T. R. Gopalakrishnan Vegetable Crops, p. 138, at Google Books
- Ammas cooking Archived 2013-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
- Daftuar, Swati (9 June 2012). "Food Safari: in search of Agra Petha". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- Mishra, Ishita (31 August 2014). "Petha industry not harming Taj: Kalraj". Times of India. Agra. Retrieved 29 June 2015.