Recipe- Popular Sweet Dish Malpua

Malpua is a popular sweet dish in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the regions of Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. It is a deep-fried pancake-like dessert made from a batter of all-purpose flour, milk, and sometimes semolina (sooji).

The batter is typically flavored with cardamom powder, saffron strands, and sometimes fennel seeds. The fried malpua is then soaked in sugar syrup, which gives it a sweet and syrupy flavor.

In some variations of the dish, the malpua is stuffed with khoya (milk solids) and dry fruits before being soaked in sugar syrup. Malpua is often served as a dessert during festive occasions such as Holi, Diwali, and Eid, and is also a popular street food item.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina (sooji)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
A pinch of saffron strands
Oil or ghee for frying
For the sugar syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
A few strands of saffron
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Chopped pistachios and almonds for garnishing (optional)

Method

- In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, semolina, baking powder, cardamom powder, and saffron strands.

- Add milk and water to the bowl, and mix well to form a smooth batter. The consistency should be slightly thicker than that of a pancake batter.

- Heat oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat. Using a ladle, pour a small amount of the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides.

- Remove the fried malpua from the oil and place it on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

- In a separate pan, heat sugar and water over medium heat to make the sugar syrup. Add saffron strands and cardamom powder, and stir well.

- Let the sugar syrup simmer for a few minutes until it reaches a slightly thick consistency. Turn off the heat and keep the syrup aside.

- Soak the fried malpua in the sugar syrup for a minute or two, until it absorbs the syrup.

- Garnish with chopped pistachios and almonds, and serve warm.