Translucent, soft pieces of ash gourd (white pumpkin) cooked in sugar syrup until they become crystal-clear and sweet all the way through. The most well-known sweet of Agra — sold in distinctive wooden boxes at every shop near the Taj Mahal.
Ingredients
1 kg ash gourd (petha — the white pumpkin, also called winter melon or wax gourd)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/4 tsp lime (food-grade calcium hydroxide — available at Indian grocery stores as chuna) dissolved in 2 cups water (this is the firming agent)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder (optional — for the angoori/soft variety)
a few saffron strands (optional)
Method
Prepare the ash gourd: Wash the ash gourd. Peel the thick green skin with a sharp knife. Remove and discard all the seeds and fibrous centre. Cut the white flesh into rectangular pieces about 4 cm x 3 cm x 2 cm. The pieces should be uniform in size.
Prick the gourd pieces: Using a fork, prick each piece of ash gourd all over — about 20 to 25 pricks per piece on all sides. This pricking is essential — it allows the lime water to penetrate the flesh during soaking (which firms it) and allows the sugar syrup to penetrate during cooking (which makes it sweet throughout).
Soak in lime water: Dissolve 1/4 tsp food-grade lime (chuna) in 2 cups water until fully dissolved. Place the pricked ash gourd pieces in this lime water. Soak for 2 to 3 hours. The lime water makes the gourd firm and helps it become translucent during the sugar syrup cooking without falling apart.
Rinse thoroughly: After soaking, drain the lime water completely. Rinse the gourd pieces in fresh water 5 to 6 times. The pieces must be rinsed very well to remove all traces of the lime — residual lime will affect the taste and make the syrup bitter.
Blanch in boiling water: Bring a large pot of fresh water to a boil. Add the rinsed gourd pieces. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. This blanching cooks the gourd partially and removes any remaining lime flavour.
Make the sugar syrup: In a wide heavy pot combine 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water. Heat stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Add saffron if using.
Cook the gourd in sugar syrup: Add the blanched gourd pieces to the boiling sugar syrup. Stir gently. Cook on medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes. As the gourd cooks in the syrup, it will gradually become translucent — you will see the pieces change from white to a glassy, translucent appearance. This transformation is the sign the petha is progressing correctly.
Increase heat to thicken syrup: After 20 minutes when the gourd is mostly translucent, increase heat to medium-high. Cook for 10 more minutes until the sugar syrup thickens and reaches a thick single-string consistency. The gourd pieces will be fully translucent and coated in thick syrup.
Remove and cool on a rack: Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the petha pieces from the syrup. Place on a wire rack or a greased plate. Let them cool and dry at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. As they dry, they will develop a thin white sugar crust on the outside.
Serve or store: Once the outside has a slight dry white crystalline crust, the petha is ready. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Note: Agra Petha is one of the most well-known regional sweets of India — sold in distinctive wooden boxes at every shop in Agra near the Taj Mahal. It has GI (Geographical Indication) protection meaning authentic Agra Petha can only be produced in Agra. The sweet is made in two main varieties — the dry crystallised version (angoori petha) and the wet syrup version. The making of petha is a specialised craft industry in Agra employing thousands of craftspeople.