Kada Prasad recipe: How to make authentic gurudwara-style sweet at home
Today, thousands of devotees are celebrating the holy festival of Guru Nanak Jayanti 2025 with deep devotion and reverence. Also known as Gurpurab or Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav, the day commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. On this auspicious occasion, devotees make Kada Prasad as a sacred offering. If you want to make, here is the step-by-step guide to prepare Kada Prasad at home.
New Delhi: Today, thousands of devotees are celebrating the holy festival of Guru Nanak Jayanti 2025 with deep devotion and reverence. Also known as Gurpurab or Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav, the day commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Every year, Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti is observed on a full moon day in the month of Kartik, which falls between October and November. On this auspicious occasion, devotees visit Gurudwaras and participate in prayers and celebrations to honour his teachings.
Besides, they offer prasad, a sacred food for Gods and Goddesses. One such sacred food is Kada prasad, also referred to as Karah prasad, which is synonymous with Sikhs or Punjabis, as it is served in gurudwaras. It is a rich, soft, velvety halwa made with whole wheat flour, which is called atta in Hindi. People following the Sikh faith believe that the term ‘gurudwara’ means the ‘door to the guru.’ So, when you visit the guru, you can’t really return empty-handed. The guru offers his sweet blessings in the form of Kada prasad. If you want to make Kada prasad, here is the complete guide.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup ghee or clarified butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups water
- Cardamom powder: Optional
- Chopped nuts: Optional
Cooking method
1. To make the sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water in a separate pan. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely, then turn off the heat or keep it on low to stay warm.
2. To roast the flour, heat the ghee over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the wheat flour and stir continuously until it turns a golden brown colour and becomes fragrant.
3. Add the warm sugar syrup slowly to the roasted flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Be cautious as the mixture may splutter.
4. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring continuously, until the prasad thickens and the ghee begins to separate from the sides.
5. Stir in optional cardamom powder or chopped nuts like almonds and cashews. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm.
Preparing Kada Prasad is part of a ritual, or it can simply be savoured at home, yet this recipe brings the same sense of peace and devotion found in every gurudwara. May your Kada Prasad carry the same purity, warmth and blessings that make it an eternal symbol of Sikh faith and sharing.