These Kesar Mawa na Penda are made purely with mawa for a wonderful melt in the mouth feel. The perfect sweet treats for special occasions and Indian festivals. Btw, treating yourself counts as a special occasion too!
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in August 2016. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe method has minor improvements.
Read my other barfi peda recipe posts and you’ll hear me go on about how most peda recipes are smooth and all barfi recipes are flaky.
Well, this recipe is sort of the opposite. These penda actually do have a slight grainy texture. No fret, they still completely melt away once they’re in your mouth.
No wonder I got through so many…
I learnt this recipe from my Mum who would make this for gifting on happy occasions. Nowadays, these are usually made on Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Diwali or as prasad.
Penda can be made in many ways – from instant peda with condensed milk to rich rajwadi doodh peda made by slowly cooking down milk. This recipe starts by roasting mawa until aromatic, mixing it with saffron-infused milk or cream, and cooking it into a dough. Once cooled, sugar is kneaded in and the dough is shaped into peda.
The ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Crumbled or grated khoya / mawa – You can buy mawa in Indian grocery stores in the chilled section or make your own at home. My go-to is homemade mawa with milk powder which is smooth as homemade mawa with ricotta cheese creates a mawa that is too grainy for this recipe.
Sugar – I have used caster sugar which dissolves easily into the penda dough.
Whole milk to make saffron milk
Kesar – I use good quality saffron as you need rich colour and flavour
Ghee – you only need ghee if using store bought mawa whereas homemade mawa is soft and moist therefore you don’t need the extra ghee. I use homemade ghee made from unsalted butter .
Ground cardamom and nutmeg powder – cardamom powder is a must in Indian sweets. I like to add nutmeg to complement the cardamom and balance the richness.
Garnish (because no Indian sweet is complete without it!)
Edible silver leaf – adds luxury and glimmer.
Saffron strands – the red colour pops against the deep gold colour.
Rose petals – optional but I just love the pop of deep pink.
What to Look out for
If you are serving penda at a later date or making them for gifting, I recommend keeping the mixture a little loose. It seems like the penda are too soft but they will dry out with time, making them the perfect texture ready for serving.
Do not overmix the mixture as this can lead to hard and chewy penda.
If the dough is too loose for shaping, place it in the fridge for 10-12 minutes and reshape.
How to make Penda
Lightly crush the saffron using a mortar and pestle. Tip: Crushing helps release the natural colour and aroma – don’t skip this even if using high-quality saffron.
Stir the ground saffron into warm milk. Tip: Warming helps saffron release its colour and aroma faster. I usually allow the saffron to steep in the cream for about 30 minutes or more. You can even do this step ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.
Warm ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan, then add in the khoya. Tip: A thick pan prevents burning. Keep heat low and stir gently.
Pour in the saffron cream and cook it all down into a thickened mix. Tip: You’re building the base here—cook slowly so the moisture reduces without browning.
Continue stirring until the mixture comes together like a soft dough. Tip: You’ll know it’s ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Cool the dough fully on a plate before chilling it approx 30 minutes. Tip: Room temperature first, then refrigerate – this firms it up and makes shaping easier.
Once chilled, mix in the sugar and ground spices. Tip: Sugar added now won’t melt or loosen the dough. Cardamom and nutmeg add warmth and depth.
Gently knead the mixture until smooth and pliable. Tip: Use a light touch—if it softens from the heat of your hand, chill briefly again before shaping.
Roll into portions and shape however you like. Tip: Slightly flattening them is traditional, but you can get creative. Grease your hands if needed.
Finish with your choice of garnishes – nuts, saffron, or silver leaf.
Storage
Keep penda stored in an airtight container. Penda do not require storage in the refrigerator and will keep at room temperature for around 3-4 days.
You can successfully freeze penda. Simply place in a freezer safe container and keep a piece of parchment in between any layers. Freeze for up to 1 month and allow to thaw at room temperature.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Kesar Mawa Na Penda
Equipment
- 1 heavy bottomed pan or kadai
Ingredients
- 300 gram khoya mawa
- 100 gram caster sugar
- 160 millilitres whole milk
- saffron generous big pinch
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 1 tablespoon ghee optional, see notes
- edible gold or silver leaf optional as garnish
- dried rose petals optional
Instructions
- Grind the saffron in mortar and pestle. saffron
- Stir the ground saffron into warm 160 millilitres whole milk . 160 millilitres whole milk
- Allow the saffron to steep in the milk for about 30 minutes or more.
- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a heavy-based kadai, add 300 gram khoya and roast the mawa on a low heat for a couple of minutes. 300 gram khoya, 1 tablespoon ghee
- Then add the saffron-infused cream, combine well and cook the mixture until most of the moisture has evaporated and a loose mass forms.
- Keep stirring the mixture until mixture leaves sides of the pan and forms a mass. It will look like a loose dough.
- Switch off the heat, transfer the mixture in to a plate and allow the mixture to cool totally to room temperature. Then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Add in the 100 gram caster sugar and the 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder 100 gram caster sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
- Knead the dough using the heel of your palm for about a minute. If it remain too loose place back in the fridge for 10 minutes as the heat from your hands can loosen the mixture.
- Form equal size of balls and flatten them slightly or give them a shape of your choice.
- Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachio and/or saffron threads. I went with edible gold or silver leaf edible gold or silver leaf
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Kesar Mawa Na Penda
Equipment
- 1 heavy bottomed pan or kadai
Ingredients
- 300 gram khoya mawa
- 100 gram caster sugar
- 160 millilitres whole milk
- saffron generous big pinch
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 1 tablespoon ghee optional, see notes
- edible gold or silver leaf optional as garnish
- dried rose petals optional
Instructions
- Grind the saffron in mortar and pestle. saffron
- Stir the ground saffron into warm 160 millilitres whole milk . 160 millilitres whole milk
- Allow the saffron to steep in the milk for about 30 minutes or more.
- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a heavy-based kadai, add 300 gram khoya and roast the mawa on a low heat for a couple of minutes. 300 gram khoya, 1 tablespoon ghee
- Then add the saffron-infused cream, combine well and cook the mixture until most of the moisture has evaporated and a loose mass forms.
- Keep stirring the mixture until mixture leaves sides of the pan and forms a mass. It will look like a loose dough.
- Switch off the heat, transfer the mixture in to a plate and allow the mixture to cool totally to room temperature. Then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Add in the 100 gram caster sugar and the 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder 100 gram caster sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
- Knead the dough using the heel of your palm for about a minute. If it remain too loose place back in the fridge for 10 minutes as the heat from your hands can loosen the mixture.
- Form equal size of balls and flatten them slightly or give them a shape of your choice.
- Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachio and/or saffron threads. I went with edible gold or silver leaf edible gold or silver leaf
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
If you enjoy savoury, homemade snacks with Indian flavours, these multigrain crackers are a must-try. Made with chapati atta and a mix of flours you likely already have in your cupboard. They’re adaptable, nutty, crisp, and perfect with chai or chutney.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in July 2012. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe has minor changes which are highlighted below.
Homemade crackers are always a hit in our house. We really enjoyed the flavour, ease, and convenience of Scottish rosemary and black pepper oatcakes , so Mum and I started playing around with other flours, like we do in our multigrain flour roti , to see what else we could come up with.
These multigrain crackers have since become a bit of a staple. They’re on regular rotation, though no two batches ever taste exactly the same. I usually use whatever flours I have on hand, swapping between ragi, bajri, oat and jowar. The one constant is chapati atta, which acts as the base and holds it all together.
I love how forgiving this recipe is too. You don’t need to be precise with measurements or stick to just one kind of flour.
The flavours
These crackers are deeply savoury with a warm, earthy taste from the multigrain flours. A good amount of black pepper makes these bold and spicy.
When this recipe was published in 2012, we also added crushed green chillies and ginger. It’s definitely still an option if you want to add it, but I felt that the flavours are just as good with dry ingredients only.
Texture-wise, these crackers are crisp but not teeth-shatteringly hard. I often cut them into rough squares or use a fluted cutter when I’m feeling fancy – but really, anything goes.
They’re great on their own, but we usually have them with a hot cup of masala chai . They also make a perfect snack with a dollop of keri no chundo .
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Indian Multigrain Crackers
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup millet flour *see notes below
- ¼ cup oat flour *see notes below
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds ajwain
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Using your fingers, rub everything together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add water, a little at a time, and mix to form a soft, pliable dough.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C / 360°F (Gas mark 4).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough approximately 3mm thick. Aim for an even thickness so they bake uniformly.
- Cut the dough into shapes of your choice. I cut into squares.
- Prick each cracker with a fork or toothpick to prevent them rising during baking.
- Arrange the crackers on a baking tray and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until they’re light golden and crisp. You may need to turn half-way.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. They will crisp up more as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
