• You may just form them into balls, slightly press to flatten it and garnish with chopped nuts.
• I used the side of thread-spool for giving it flower shape by just pressing it on the formed peda balls. 
• You may use tip of a juicer and press over the peda balls to form flower like indentation 
• Also may use mini-modak mold to shape into modak-shaped pedas
• Roll the ready mixture in-between parchment paper with use of a rolling-pin to about one centimetre thickness. With a sharp knife, cut them into squares or diamond shapes. Garnish with edible silver leaf (Vark).
• I also found a moon-cake mold [on amazon ], which worked out nicely to get uniform shape and size. (see the post's last picture below)
• I add bit of condensed-milk with the saved saffron and warm it a little. Since condensed-milk has sugar, it helps in sticking the saffron on the pedas. 
• Garnish with saffron strands and chopped pistachios and serve.

NOTE: 

• Important: ratio is 1:1.5  (or 2:3) that is., for one can/cup of condensed-milk, add 1.5 can/cup of milk powder. I usually use the same emptied condensed milk to measure out the milk powder as well.
• Keep an eye when you microwave the mixture. Number of time you may have to microwave depends on the quantity and wattage (power) of your microwave oven.
• Normally it will take five one-minute cooking in the microwave for a 14 ounce can of condensed milk ( in my microwave oven). When I make smaller batch of pedas with only half  can, I have noticed that the peda mixture is ready by 4th one-minute cooking
• When preparing a big batch of pedas, I place the bowl with ready mixture in another bigger dish with hot water. The reason for this is, as I am working on the mixture to shape them, the mixture will get cold and makes it harder to form the shapes, the sides will crack as I press the shape-stamp over it. Some suggest to microwave for 10 seconds, this process helps to warm up the mixture, but I feel it also makes the mixture bit dry as well.

• Chocolate pedas: Add 2 tbsp of coco powder to the mixture to make,  add vanilla extract instead skip saffron milk.
• Rose pedas: Add bit more rose water and gulkand (rose petal preserve)  before the last round of microwave to make rose flavored pedas. Add couple drops of pink/red food color as well. Skip adding saffron milk.
• You may try other variations like Betel leaf (paan), Coffee flavored pedas

~ HAPPY KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI ~

Butter and Poha(rice flakes) are Krishna's favorite. During Janmashtami my mom used to make various dishes with Poha - Sweet poha, Khara (spicy) poha, Chivda, Poha ladoo and so on...

Here is a simple recipe for making "Chivda" - a savory snack made out of rice flakes.



To make chewda you need..:

Thin Poha (Rice flakes) : 3 cups
Peanuts - ½ cup ( you can use cashews instead)
Chickpeas – ¼ cup (optional)
Dry red chillies – 4
Dry coconut flakes – ½ cup
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp.
Powdered sugar – ½ tsp (optional)
Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp. or to taste
Salt to taste
Oil
Curry leaves – 7 to 8 leaves

Method:
1. In a microwaveable plate spread ½ of the poha and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir the poha and microwave again for about 3 minutes or till it looks slightly puffed and crispy. The time required to roast poha depends on each microwave. First time you want to watch and note down the time. Be careful not to burn the powa. Remove the poha and keep aside.
Repeat the process with the other ½ of the portion. Keep aside along with first batch.
(If you don’t have microwave – dry roast the poha in a pan over medium high until poha is crisp.)
2. In a pan heat 2 spoons of oil. Add curry leaves and red chillies. Stir both for a minute.
3. Add peanuts and chickpeas. Stir until peanuts are roasted.
4. Add coconut flakes. Stir it for a minute. Don’t let it burn.
5. To the mixture, stir-in the Turmeric powder.
6. Reduce the heat. Add roasted poha and mix all together.
7. Sprinkle salt, red chilli powder and sugar. Mix all together.
8. Remove from the fire and let it cool completely before storing it in a air tight container.

- ~ o O o ~ -