Dharwad Peda
Dharwad peda does not look like other peda. It is darker, rougher on the outside, rolled in sugar, and it tastes faintly of caramel because the milk is cooked much further than usual.
Why it is different
The khoya is cooked long enough to brown, which is where the caramel note comes from. That colour is the point. A pale Dharwad peda is not a Dharwad peda.
The GI tag
It carries a Geographical Indication, recognising it as specific to Dharwad in north Karnataka. The recipe is said to have come with a family from Uttar Pradesh in the nineteenth century and become local over generations.
Keeping
Two to three weeks at room temperature. It travels better than most milk sweets because so much moisture has already been cooked out.
Questions people ask
What is Dharwad peda?
A caramelised khoya sweet from Dharwad in north Karnataka, darker and rougher than ordinary peda and rolled in sugar. It carries a GI tag.
Why is Dharwad peda brown?
The khoya is cooked much longer than for regular peda, which browns the milk solids and gives the caramel flavour. Pale colour means it was not cooked far enough.
Can Dharwad peda be shipped abroad?
Yes. It keeps two to three weeks at room temperature and arrives in three to five days by DHL Express with customs paid.