Petha

Ingredients

• •Ash gourd
• •Sugar syrup

Steps

1. 1Peel the ash gourd, remove the seeds and pith, and cut the flesh into small even cubes or rectangular pieces.
2. 2Prick each piece all over with a fork or skewer so the sugar syrup can soak in fully later.
3. 3Soak the pricked pieces in a lime-water solution for about two hours, which firms up the texture and keeps the pieces from turning mushy.
4. 4Rinse the pieces thoroughly under running water to remove all traces of the lime solution, then blanch them in boiling water for five to seven minutes until they turn translucent at the edges.
5. 5Drain the pieces and prepare a sugar syrup by dissolving sugar in water and simmering until it reaches a light, single-thread consistency.
6. 6Add the blanched ash gourd pieces to the hot syrup and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally spooning syrup over the top, until the pieces turn fully translucent and have absorbed the sweetness.
7. 7If desired, stir in a few drops of rose water or a pinch of cardamom powder toward the end for extra fragrance.
8. 8Let the petha cool completely in the syrup before draining and storing, or lightly dust with sugar for a drier finish.