Agra Petha

Agra Petha is a famous sweet dish from the city of Agra in India. It's a translucent, soft candy made from ash gourd (also known as winter melon or white pumpkin) and is often flavored with cardamom and saffron. Here's a simplified recipe for making Agra Petha at home:

Ingredients:

• 500 grams ash gourd (peeled, deseeded, and cut into thin, uniform slices)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon alum (fitkari) - for crispiness (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
• A few strands of saffron (kesar), soaked in warm milk (optional)
• A few drops of rose water (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Ice-cold water for soaking
• Edible food color (orange) - optional

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Ash Gourd:

   • Peel, deseed, and cut the ash gourd into thin, even slices.

2. Soak in Ice-Cold Water:

   • Soak the ash gourd slices in ice-cold water for at least 2 hours. This helps in removing any bitterness.

3. Boil the Ash Gourd:

   • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the ash gourd slices and cook until they become slightly translucent. Be careful not to overcook. Drain and keep aside.

4. Prepare Sugar Syrup:

   • In a separate pan, combine sugar and water to make a sugar syrup. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
   • Add alum (if using) to the sugar syrup and let it simmer until it reaches a one-string consistency. To test the consistency, take a drop of syrup between your thumb and index finger. It should form a single thread.

5. Flavor the Sugar Syrup:

   • Add cardamom powder, saffron soaked in milk, rose water (if using), and lime juice to the sugar syrup. Stir well.

6. Cook the Ash Gourd in Sugar Syrup:

   • Add the boiled ash gourd slices to the sugar syrup. Simmer on low heat until the ash gourd becomes translucent and absorbs the flavors of the syrup. This may take 15-20 minutes.

7. Cool and Dry:

   • Allow the Petha to cool in the sugar syrup. Once cooled, take out the slices and place them on a cooling rack to let excess syrup drip off.

8. Optional Coloring:

   • If desired, you can add a few drops of edible orange food color to the sugar syrup or directly to the Petha for the characteristic orange color.

9. Store:

   • Once the Petha slices are dry, store them in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature for a few days.

Enjoy the homemade Agra Petha as a sweet treat or gift it to friends and family!