Photo from Adobe Stock/sablinstanislav
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon milk, for paneer
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 lb unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups milk powder
- sugar, to taste
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp pistachio nuts, sliced
Directions:
To make peda cookies you will first need to make paneer, which is a kind of homemade cottage cheese. Begin by boiling the milk, preferably in a 5 quart non-stick pan. Stir in the lemon juice as soon as the milk begins to boil. Remove from heat when curds begin to separate from the milk. Cover and let sit for half an hour, or until it becomes solid. Strain through a cheesecloth, then tie the paneer into the cheesecloth and hang it up for about an hour so that it will drain. Finally, knead the paneer to make it smooth.
Fry paneer in butter for 5 minutes (frying will turn it into a paste). Let cool for 10 minutes, then add heavy cream and mix thoroughly. Add the cardamom and mix again, then add dry milk. Cook about 10 minutes over medium heat and then add sugar, stirring until well blended. Allow mixture to cool. When it becomes thick, form into small balls. Place ball in the palm of the left hand; with thumb make a well in middle and place in some sliced pistachio. Set in refrigerator to harden.
Also from The Nepal Cookbook:
This treasury of recipes from the members of the Association of Nepalis in the Americas represents the best of authentic Nepali cuisine. From festival dishes to simple everyday favorites, the recipes included here reflect the many facets of Nepal’s colorful and diverse cultures. Nepali food which is simple to prepare and subtle in flavor is influenced by the cuisines of both India and Tibet. Here are recipes for all the elements of a full-course Nepali meal; appetizers soups and lentils vegetables meats pickles and chutneys rice and breads and desserts. The most commonly used flavorings include cumin red and green chilies garlic ginger Szechwan pepper cilantro and scallions. Special cooking methods and ingredients unfamiliar to a Western audience are fully explained.From The Nepal Cookbook © 1996, 2011 by Association of Nepalis in the Americas. Reprinted in arrangement with Snow Lion, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boulder, CO.
