Arcot Makkan Peda

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all my Readers!

Arcot Makkan Peda is a delicious Indian Sweet hailing from a small town near Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. It’s a deep fried ball made with flour, Khoya, curd, and ghee stuffed with nuts and soaked in sugar Syrup.

Popularly known as the Arcot Makkan Peda, it resembles Gulab Jamun though it is slightly flattened and stuffed with mixed nuts. The melt in the mouth texture comes from the Khoya curd and ghee mix being beaten well with baking soda.

History has it that the first sweet maker relished it from the kitchens of Arcot Nawab during his visit and made it back in this sweet shop. The whole town became popular for this sweet. Typically after deep frying, the balls are soaked in sugar syrup for about 10 hours.

We are starting our Mega Blogging Marathon #104 themed on Sweets and Snacks. This September you will see me blogging nonstop through September, except for taking a break on Sundays. And I decided to blog on the same theme on Cooking 4 all Seasons as well.

The month is split into 4 weeks with first 3 weeks having 6 dishes each and the final week with 8 mandatory dishes that will be followed by all participants. The dish is the same for all, though they can pick their own recipes.

So for the first week of sweets, I decided to check out my long to do list that I have and selected those long pending sweets. I was totally happy with the outcome of all the dishes that I have taken up and glad I could finally strike those off my list!

Arcot Makkan Peda is one such sweet that often makes an appearance in my office as a colleague hails from that place. Though I couldn’t cross check if this is exactly how it is sold, all of us were sold out by the taste and texture my Makkan Peda had.

Hubby Dear was super happy and enjoyed it very much. He said I must take it for my colleagues as well, who loved it to the core. So finally this is a super success recipe and I ardently urge you to make it and indulge!

For Day 1, its Arcot Makkan Peda for the BM#104 Sweets and Snacks, do check out what I have in Cooking 4 all Seasons.

Arcot Makkan Peda

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For other Indian Sweets already blogged, check out my list of Indian Sweets.

Since this closely resembles Gulab Jamun, you can check out the other varieties of Gulab Jamun I have. The first time I made was for the Indian Cooking Challenge, with the original version of Gulab Jamun, that you have Easy Gulab Jamun, Bread Gulab Jamun, Chocolate Gulab Jamun.

The Bengalis are fond of Gulab Jamuns and they have their own version with Paneer/Chhena, so you have Pantua, Lyangcha, Sita Bhog, Nikhuti Payesh.

Arkot Makkan Peda

Arcot Makkan Peda Recipe

Step By Step Pictures for making Makkan Peda

Arcot Makkan Peda Making 2

Arcot Makkan Peda Making 3

Arcot Makkan Peda Making 4

Arcot Special Makkan Peda

Ingredients Needed

1 cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Khoya / Mawa / Khova
1 / 2 cup Ghee
1/ 2 cup Cooking Oil
2 tbsp Mixed Nuts
2 tbsp Curds / Yoghurt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp Ghee

For the Sugar Syrup

2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
2 nos Cardamon

How to make Arcot Makkan Peda

In a wide bowl, take the Kova, baking soda, ghee, and curds. Mix everything, beating it till it turns to a creamy texture.
Measure the flour and slowly add in batches and mix well. The dough will be very soft and creamy. Let it rest for 5 to 7 mins.
Chop Almonds, Pistas, and cashews.
Divide the dough into small equal balls.
Next, stuff each ball with few bits of chopped nuts and cover it well again to form a ball.
Slightly flatten it and continue until you are done with all.
Heat a Kadai with ghee and oil, when it is hot enough, lower the flame and deep fry all the balls in batches, drain and keep it aside.

For the Sugar Syrup

Melt the sugar with water along with cardamom and let it come to a boil until the sugar is completely melted.
When the sugar is all melted, add the fried balls and let it soak.
Add all the fried balls to the sugar syrup and let it sit for 30 mins.

Notes:
Though the recipe says that pedas should soak for at least 5 to 10 hours, my Pedas got soft within 30 mins, though it was a while after which I served.
Personally feel the hot ones taste best, though one may serve it chilled as well.

How to make Makkan Peda

Arcot Makkan Peda

CourseDesserts, Sweets
CuisineTamil Nadu
By Cook MethodDeep Fried
OccasionDeepavali
By DietKid Friendly, Protein Rich
Dish TypeDeep Fried Dishes, Festival Sweets
KeywordArcot Makkan Peda, Gulab Jamun Variety

Ingredients

For the Pedas

1cup All Purpose Flour
3/4cup Khoya / Mawa / Khova
1 / 2cup Ghee
1/ 2cup Cooking Oil
2tbsp Mixed Nuts
2tbsp Curds/ Yoghurt
1/4tsp Baking Soda
2tbsp Ghee

For the Sugar Syrup

2cups Sugar
1cup Water
2nos Cardamon

Instructions

How to make Arcot Makkan Peda

In a wide bowl, take the Kova, baking soda, ghee, and curds. Mix everything together, beating it till it turns to a creamy texture.
Measure the flour and slowly add in batches and mix well. The dough will be very soft and creamy. Let it rest for 5 to 7 mins.
Chop Almonds, Pistas, and cashews.
Divide the dough into small equal balls.
Next, stuff each ball with few bits of chopped nuts and cover it well again to form a ball.
Slightly flatten it and continue until you are done with all.
Heat a Kadai with ghee and oil, when it is hot enough, lower the flame and deep fry all the balls in batches, drain and keep it aside.

For the Sugar Syrup

Melt the sugar with water along with cardamom and let it come to a boil until the sugar is completely melted.
When the sugar is all melted, add the fried balls and let it soak.
Add all the fried balls to the sugar syrup and let it sit for 30 mins.

Recipe Notes

Though the recipe says that pedas should soak for at least 5 to 10 hours, my Pedas got soft within 30 mins, though it was a while after which I served. Personally feel the hot ones taste best, though one may serve it chilled as well.