Guava Cheese Recipe, How to make Guava Paste from scratch | Goan Guava Sweet Perad
Yet, Guava cheese is worth all the trouble and the time spend making this amazing natural sweet from scratch!
What is Guava cheese?
It's a sweet treat produced using guavas, sugar, lime juice and butter. In some countries it’s also referred to as Romeo Juliet. Guava cheese is a classic Goa festival sweet! The guavas and lime enhance compliments each other it’s like match made in heaven.
Guava cheese is of course not a milk product, it’s just the name for this sweet dish in places such as in Goa, India. (former Portuguese colony)
In other parts of the world, such as in Brazil (translated) and the English speaking countries, Guava cheese might be better known as Guava paste.
I have tasted this sweet first time during our recent visit to Goa, our Resort RIO served this guava cheese as a spreading with salty crackers on their breakfast menu. When I tasted this I feel it's a guava jelly, then their manager will tell us mam this is our classic goa special sweet, it's called perad(especially made from red guavas). No doubt, that's very elegant flavor, melt in my mouth and feel the proper taste of guava. This dessert tastes sweet and sour both.
Mine cheese is not shining as I saw on Goa but the taste is similar which I have tasted in resort. I am still happy with the result :D We especially buy this sweets from Goa, everyone knows Goa is famous for baked goodies.
Healthy benefits of Guava
Guava is known as ‘Pera’ in Konkanni and Portuguese, ‘Peru’ in Marathi and 'Amrud’ in Hindi. Guavas have incredible dietary benefit. They are wealthy in Vitamin C and dietary fiber. They are rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber. They are broadly utilized in culinary arrangements or can be eaten in its regular form. You can have jam, marmalade, jelly, juice and prepare tarts, pies and so on. I think, Guava is most popular and relished as good old Guava Cheese!
For this recipe you will have to select the soft Guavas not the one with hard skin. Further you will have to blanch them in hot water Or boil them until it gets tender. Later remove their seeds with the help of a spoon Or finger.
If you use red guavas, then you will not need to use any food coloring. If you prefer the natural yellow color of guavas then go ahead and retain it. I like a little color in my Guava Cheese so I use it.
This recipe is a part of A to Z recipe challenge, this is our 7th post for the challenge. We choose key ingredients alphabetically to cook and post a dish every alternate month.
A- Homemade Apple Jam (no preservatives)
B - Beetroot Carrot Sandwich
C - Black Chana Masala (chickpeas)
D - Dates, Almonds and Coconut Rolls
E - Breakfast Egg Muffins
F - Dahi Methi Poori (fenugreek)
This time the alphabet is "F" so I choose Guava and thought of sharing this sweet treat which I really relish in Goa. Let see how to make this.
Course : Sweet Treat/Dessert
Cuisine : Indian(Goan) / Portuguese
Prep Time : 20 minutes
Cook Time : 35-40 minutes
Total time : 1 hour
Author : Jolly Makkar
Ingredient :
Ripe Guavas - 3 to 4 pieces
White sugar or as required (sugar should be equal to guava pulp) - 1 cup
Lime juice - 1 no
Oil / ghee / non-salted butter (I used non-salted butter) - 1 tbsp
few drops of pink color (optional)
Preparation Method :
1. Wash the guavas; lightly slice off or core the tops.
2. Place the guavas in the pressure cooker body with enough water to cover the guavas.Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or until soft. Let the cooker cool down..
3. Transfer the softened guavas with a slotted spoon in a bowl and let them cool down till they are comfortable to the touch.Try and peel off the skin as much as possible.
4. Halve all the guavas and scoop out the seeds. Place the seeds in another bowl and boil the seeds with 1/2 cup of reserved water which we used in boiling the guavas.
5. Chop the guavas and place in the mixer/grinder along with the pulp extracted from the seeds. Grind to a fine into a smooth paste. Strain through a plastic/metal sieve again.
6. Also, pass the boiled seeds in water through the fine mesh sieve and collect the extract in the bowl containing the guava pulp.
7. Transfer the pulp in a wide and thick bottomed pot/non-stick pan or in the pressure cooker body. (I used the pan). The pan handle helps to grip firmly and comfortably while stirring.
8. Add the sugar. Cook on medium heat. Keep stirring continuously while on heat.
9. To stir, use a wooden spoon with a long handle if possible. At first, it is easy to stir as the sugar will melt and there will be a lot of moisture/liquid in the mixture.
10. As the mixture starts thickening; Beware! There will be a lot of bubbling and spluttering. That is why it is necessary to use a spoon with a long handle and preferably a wooden one so that the handle will not get hot and you will feel comfortable while stirring. Stir the pulp mixture continuously when the mixture is thickening. It is time to add lemon juice.
11. Be alert or there is a tendency for the mixture to burn and stick to the bottom. Keep stirring vigorously. Gradually, the mixture will be bubbling and then as it thickens it will start leaving the sides of the pan and you will be able to see the bottom of the pan while stirring.
12. It is time to add and mix in the butter. Add a few drops of red color to tint the mixture. Stir to combine well. The mixture will start looking a little glossy.
13. To test if done, put a little mixture in a small bowl/sauce of water. If it forms a soft ball without disintegrating in the water then it is time to pour it out.
14. Pour the mixture in a well greased deep tray or plate. Level the mixture immediately.This is guava cheese!!!
15. Allow the guava cheese to set and cool thoroughly. It may take a couple of hours if the weather is cool and dry. I keep it overnight.
16. Turn out the guava cheese on a cutting board or on your clean kitchen counter. The guava cheese will come out with ease. Cut into desired shapes and sizes. Like I cut in star shape or square shape.
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17 comments
I once tried out guava cheese on a holiday in Goa and loved it to bits. So glad you shared this beautiful recipe so I can make it at home too. :)
ReplyDeleteHeard this for the first time, but loved the recipe. Guava is one of my favorite fruits and a sweet dish from it is absolutely yum.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting sweet made with guava, never seen or tasted before.
ReplyDeleteGuava cheese is totally new to me. I am hearing it for the first time. Nice colour and beautiful shape.
ReplyDeletevery cool recipe and I like the step by step explanation too.. Kids must really love the colour of this dish - a pretty pink !
ReplyDeleteGuava cheese a completely new dish for me. Looks so cute and yummy. Loved the shape. Lovely share.
ReplyDeleteJolly, loved the elaborate recipe and the Guava cheese has come out so well. Growing up, I have eaten a lot of these during Christmas as my close friends who are Goans always invited me home. I am not a fan of Bebinca their classic sweet but love the guava cheese and the other xmas treats they make. Clever use of Holiday I must say, a good recipe in return for the blog. Haha. cheers.
ReplyDeleteMy colleague would bring this when her MIL would make these for Christmas... oh so delicious! You reminded me of it... I guess I must make some for myself to help with my craving... thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting recipe, I missed trying it when I went to Goa. It is an elaborate method but worth the effort, I'm sure I'd love it as I love guava.
ReplyDeleteVery well explained detailed recipe. This looks so perfectly well made. Used to have it a lot during Christmas time in mumbai when a colleague from work used to bring it during Christmas time.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! I would love to make these when I get hold of guava the next time! Looks so healthy too! I have heard about it before but never got the pleasure to try it! Will check out your version <3
ReplyDeleteVery nicely explained Jolly.Have had this ones but never knew we can just make it at home simply with few ingredients. Would love to try out once I get the guavas !
ReplyDeleteNever heard of guava cheese but your detailed recipe and pics are tempting me to give it a try. Thanks for the wonderful share.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an exciting recipe and so painstaking to make this. I miss guava here a lot hardly get any.
ReplyDeleteSuch a classic recipe and one so delicious. Will be nice to serve this relatively rare dish to guests and surprise them. :) I loved your detailed post which will make it easy for me to make this dish.
ReplyDeleteLove this classic Goan festival sweet !! how cute these stars are looking I wuld love to try at home when I'll get some fresh guavas at my locality surely
ReplyDeleteI know about the guava cheese before But never had this. It looks delicious Jolly! Will surely try this sometime :)
ReplyDelete