Peera is another popular Indian sweet. This week I got a request from one of my fans I certainly couldn't refuse. The timing was right and I didn't do this recipe as yet although I had it in my list of things to do. So last night we finally got around to documenting the Peera recipe.
What is Peera?
Peera or Pera is basically a sweet meat similar to barfi – just that it has a ground rice base. Now, there are two ways of making Peera: this method with the rice and another using flour. The flour method is a little more time consuming, since you have to fry the flour as if you're making mini kurmas then you have to grind it.
Peera Recipe
Since time is of the essence, I decided to do this one which, in my opinion, tastes better. Now even though the rice peera looks easy to do from the pictures I took out, looks can be deceiving. This deceptively simple peera recipe could be a real pain if you don't get things right. This recipe requires practice so, I urge you to read this post about three times before you begin and please follow this recipe to the letter. To further guide you I have added notes for some of the steps. Anyhow here's Peera, Trinidad style. And of course Happy Deepavali to one and all 🙂
PEERA
Ingredients:
1 cup white rice, uncooked
1/2 tsp cardamom powder (elychee)
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1/2 cup full cream milk powder
Direction:
Soak the rice for 30 minutes and drain.
Grind the rice into a fine powder.
Note: I used my Magic Bullet and it came out right the first time.
Parch the ground rice on a low fire.
Note: You are just heating the ground rice to dry it out; not until it is brown.
Then sift. Note: When sifting some larger particles may remain. Just grind it again in the magic bullet. Nice and easy.
I just had to take out a picture of this ghee.
This is the only brand of Ghee I trust in; Cow Brand Ghee.
Make sure to use Cow Brand Ghee in this recipe
Back to the recipe….LOL!
Add the cardamom (elychee) powder and powdered milk…
and ghee. Set aside.
Put the sugar to boil. Add the grated ginger.
Boil until the sugar forms thin threads when dropped from a spoon.
Then quickly pour the sugar into the rice mixture and stir.
Quickly pour into a greased dish. Before it completely hardens, cut into squares.
Note: Timing here is paramount. Everything must be done quickly because the sugar crystallizes very quickly. Notice how much times I used “quickly”? Make sure to do this quickly. Get this wrong and you'll have Peera clumps. lol!
Well at this time as I write I am having some flour parsad with raisins and looking forward to some buss up shut tonight. Wish I could send you all some through the computer 🙂
Anyhow, look out for a little surprise a little later on today can't say what it is, but you must be a member of the Newsletter to get it. You can subscribe by clicking the link below. Stay tuned.
Ah gone. Don't forget to leave your comments on this Peera recipe.
Peera
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice uncooked
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 cup full cream milk powder
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder elychee
Instructions
- Soak the rice for 30 minutes and drain.
- Grind the rice into a fine powder and parch on a low fire.
- Sift through a fine sieve or strainer.
- Add the cardamom (elychee) powder, powdered milk and ghee. Set aside.
- Put the sugar to boil and add the grated ginger. Boil until the sugar forms thin threads when dropped from a spoon.
- Quickly pour the sugar into the rice mixture and stir. Then quickly pour into a greased dish. Before it completely hardens, cut into squares.
Shubh Divali
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Man, this is quite a task. I think that TT, Guyana and Suriname each has it’s own version of peera; actually, I think some household has their own versions too. I am always educated when I visit your blog.
I too had some Peera trials this past week 🙂
I like peera – it took me a while – as a child I was always disappointed that this white thing wasn’t barfi in the sirni bag, but then I started eating it (desperation? 🙂 and grew to appreciate it.
Perhaps the cardamom, but I never put ginger in it. Trinidadians like too much ginger in everything. Otherwise, it’s a perfect recipe. Much easier than how I make it (with condensed milk)
Why do you say Cow Brand is the only one you trust? I have been reading about many of the Indian brands being adulterated with animal fats so I’m looking for a pure brand. Thanks!
Cow Brand Ghee is what I grew up on and is pure ghee (clarified butter). The other brands I’ve seen were margarine. That’s why I trust in Cow Brand Ghee.
I worry about eating the rice flour raw, can I cook this in anyway? Please advise. 🙂
i am having a hard time……2 hrs gone n d peera is still soft i put it in d fridge ….n still soft
the solution is simple …the sugar did not boil long enough to make the “threads”. It will never get hard. This is a very challenging recipe that you will have to practice a few times before you get it right. Don’t give up. 🙂
223- 235 degrees is the temperature to get sugar and water to a thread stage. Get a candy thermometer make it easy on yourself.
Hi,
This is a question about flour peera..after frying and grinding the flour can i use powdered milk instead of condensed milk??
Not sure I will have to research.