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Lal Peda लाल पेड़ा
Lal Peda is a Varanasi milk sweet made by cooking khoya with sugar until it turns a deep reddish brown, then shaping it into small discs. The long cooking gives it a caramel taste. Sri Narayan Misthan Bhandar makes it at its shop in Thatheri Bazar, near Dashashwamedh Ghat.
Lal Peda at a glance
| Made from | Khoya (mawa) and sugar |
|---|---|
| Colour | Reddish brown, from long cooking |
| Taste | Caramelised milk |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Good for | Gifting and carrying home, since it is a dry sweet |
About Lal Peda
Lal means red. The colour comes from cooking the khoya for longer than a regular peda, until the milk sugars caramelise. That is also where its deeper, slightly toasted taste comes from.
As a dry khoya sweet, Lal Peda travels better than cream or syrup sweets, which is why many visitors take a box home from Banaras.
Questions about Lal Peda
Why is Lal Peda red?
The khoya is cooked for longer than for a regular peda, until the milk sugars caramelise and turn it reddish brown.
How is Lal Peda different from a regular peda?
A regular peda is pale and milky. Lal Peda is cooked longer, so it is darker and tastes of caramelised milk.
Can I order Lal Peda online from Varanasi?
Yes. In Varanasi, order on Zomato or Swiggy. Outside Varanasi, we send Lal Peda by courier across India: message us on WhatsApp with your city and quantity, and we will confirm the price and delivery time.