Petha

2021-12-29T11:16:47Z

2405:201:600B:50D0:432:8150:1AC9:41B1:

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{distinguish|Peda}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Petha
| image = Petha-from-Agra.JPG
| image_size = 250px
| alternate_name =
| country = [[Indian subcontinent]]
| region = [[India]], [[ Sri Lanka]], [[Pakistan]]
| course = [[Dessert]]
| served =
| main_ingredient = [[Ash gourd]], [[sugar]]
| variations = [[Kesar]] Petha, [[Grapes | Angoori]] Petha, Dry Petha, [[Chocolate]] Petha, [[Paan]] Petha, [[Rose | Gulab]] Petha
| calories = ~250
| other =
|name_lang=[[Hindustani]]|national_cuisine=[[Indian cuisine]]|year=uncertain |minor_ingredient=}}'''Petha''' ([[Hindi]]: पेठा pronounced {{IPA-hns|ˈpeːʈʰa|}}) is a translucent soft [[candy]] from [[Indian subcontinent]] made from [[White Pumpkin]] (also known as winter melon or white pumpkin, or simply ''petha'' in Hindi and Urdu).<ref name=Crops>T. R. Gopalakrishnan {{google books|-mTUBjSyo_UC|Vegetable Crops|page=138}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Sharma|first=Sudhirendar|date=2019-10-12|title=Name, place, confection, thing|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/name-place-confection-thing/article29657621.ece|access-date=2020-10-28|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Preparation ==
Petha is generally made by cutting ash gourd into cubes, soaking in lime, [[boiling]], and coating in a flavoured sugar syrup.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Petha Recipe {{!}} How to Make Petha {{!}} Agra Ka Petha|url=https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-petha-218806|access-date=2020-10-28|website=NDTV Food}}</ref>

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.<ref>[http://www.ammas.com/ar/home.cfm?r=spices&total=133&spid=1&C=All Ammas cooking] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526220809/http://www.ammas.com/ar/home.cfm?r=spices&total=133&spid=1&C=All |date=2013-05-26 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2018-02-02|title=Food Secrets: The Sweet Stories Behind The Legendary Agra Petha and Mysore Pak|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/129745/food-history-indian-sweets-mysore-pak-agra-petha/|access-date=2020-10-28|website=The Better India|language=en-US}}</ref>

== History ==
The Petha is said to have been in subcontinent in various names like Oal and Oal ka Murabba in places like modern day Jharkhand and Bihar, There is a legend that says that it originated in Mughal kitchens under Shah Jahan and was used to feed the workers constructing the [[Taj Mahal]] but it's highly unlikely considering that there are no mentions of Petha in cookbooks of Shah Jahan like [[Nuskha-e-Shahjahani]] also there are mentions of dishes resembling Petha before Mughals came to subcontinent not to mention it isn't like a typical Mughal sweet and Dishes which were rich in Milk and Mawa <ref name="insearchof">{{cite news|title=Food Safari: in search of Agra Petha |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/food-safari-in-search-of-agra-petha/article3500491.ece |first=Swati |last=Daftuar |date=9 June 2012 |work=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name="harmingTaj">{{cite news|title=Petha industry not harming Taj: Kalraj |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/Petha-industry-not-harming-Taj-Kalraj/articleshow/41368950.cms |first=Ishita |last=Mishra |date=31 August 2014|work=[[Times of India]] |location=Agra |accessdate=29 June 2015}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Peda]]
*[[Mathura peda]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian desserts]]
[[Category:Confectionery]]
[[Category:Agra]]
[[Category:Economy of Agra]]
[[Category:Uttar Pradeshi cuisine]]

{{dessert-stub}}

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Petha