Question:

Differentiate between Petha and Peda.

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An easy way to remember: Petha is a vegetable-based dry candy, whereas Peda is a dairy-based soft fudge.
Updated On: Jun 22, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Analyzing Petha (The Crystallized Melon Sweet):
Petha is a legendary, translucent, firm candy-like sweet hailing from the historic city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. It is prepared from fresh Ash Gourd (also known as winter melon, white pumpkin, or petha kaddu). The gourd is peeled, cut into chunks, pricked thoroughly with needles, soaked in a lime water (calcium hydroxide) bath to firm up its pectin structure, boiled, and then steeped in a heavy boiling sugar syrup until fully saturated and dry.

Step 2: Analyzing Peda (The Soft Dairy Fudge Sweet):

Peda is a soft, dense, semi-soft milk-based sweet strongly associated with the holy city of Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) and Dharwad (Karnataka). It is prepared by reducing milk solids known as Khoya (or Mawa) cooked together with sugar, ghee, cardamom powder, and saffron on a very slow fire until a smooth, thick dough is formed. This dough is then portioned and pressed into small, thick circular discs.

Step 3: Structural Comparison:

The functional and structural differences are compiled in the table below:
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