Ingredients

Strawberry compote

200g fresh or frozen strawberries chopped

20 ml sugar

10 ml corn flour

5-10 ml fresh lemon juice

Pedas

30 ml butter or Ghee

½ cup warm milk

½ cup Oat flour (or almond flour)

1 cup milk powder

30 ml semolina

30 ml desiccated coconut

30 ml sugar

Method

Compote: Place the strawberries, sugar, corn flour and lemon juice in a small sauce pan, cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and with a spoon lightly squash the strawberry pieces. Now, let it cool down.

Pedas: melt the butter in a non-stick pan. Remove from the heat and add the warm milk. Add the oat flour, milk powder, coconut and semolina and mix. Place the pan back on low heat and stir the mixture until starting to thicken.

Add the sugar and mix into the almost dough-like mix. Keep on stirring until the dough thickens more, about another 5-10 minutes. The ‘dough’ should easily come away from the pan’s surface once properly cooked.

Finally, add the strawberry compote into the Peda mix until well combined. The mixture will become soft again, but keep cooking while folding the mixture with a spoon or spatula until it forms a dough, loosening from the pan.

After about 10-15 minutes, remove the Peda dough from the pan onto a flat plate and leave to cool slightly.

Divide the dough into table spoon amounts. Roll into balls and flatten. Make a small indentation in the middle and fill with roasted coconut and a slice of strawberry.

Let it air-dry for 1-2 hours, serve as a late afternoon snack and store in the fridge.

Comment recipe # 69

I was searching for a Burfi recipe, a very sweet milk-based dessert, when I came across this lovely Indian sweet called Peda. Pedas are less sweet and is made with milk, sugar and a flavouring of choice. Traditionally a Peda will require hours in the kitchen because the milk has to be cooked for a long time to make evaporated milk. In this recipe milk powder is used to shorten preparation time. Strawberries and coconut are well known flavour-partners, and is a delicious addition to this Indian sweet.

Marelie Winterbach