Sweet malpuas are a quintessential sweet for Holi festival. This easy traditional sweet recipe is the Indian version of pancakes. Usually, it is made with plain flour but this a wholewheat malpua recipe. Holi is a time for gulal and loads of fun. Needless to say, you are hungry by the time you finish playing with colors and water.
You do need something to re-energize in between. Thus, the need for dry snacks like pakoras, malpuye, mawa gujiya. Even vegans can enjoy this festival with different pakoras, samosa and Indian sweets like vegan karanji or gujiya, chikki. Also we did not need colas. We had our much needed cooler, was a nut & saffron thandai. This traditional Indian dessert recipe is popular in Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Travel tip: Braj ki Holi is beautiful and divine. One must visit Mathura Vrindavan Barsana for the ultimate Holi experience. Definitely a must, in a foodie travelers' bucket list. Another great place to have them is Ajmer and Pushkar in Rajasthan. You will see huge caldrons full of many Rajasthani malpua drowning in warm sugar syrup. Smell of cardamom powder and saffron strands fill the air while huge bottles of gulkand and rose syrup line the shops for sale. Both the places have great food for vegetarians and equally great history. Gulkand is great for digestion and helps cool the body in summer. You can use it in ice creams and fudges.
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Holi Memories & mummy ke snacks
No Holi in my house is celebrated without these fluffy malpuas & desserts. I remember as kids, we would cycle to all the friends' homes & play Holi at every place. We would finally end up at Ukku club for the rain dance. It was so much fun. Vizag Steel township in Andhra Pradesh was heaven. My mom is known for her Malpuas in the whole family. She has a huge fan following for her yum desserts and snacks. This time she is here for Holi after very long time. Hence, it is time for me to rekindle my childhood memories.
I think what makes this sweet tick, that they are whole wheat malpuas with a soft center yet they have a crisp edges to them. Hence, kids and elders both love it equally. Whether you celebrate Holi or not, enjoy the yum fried pancakes!
Equipment
- whisk
- wok/kadai
- cookie cutter (optional, for perfect shape)
- deep bowl
Ingredients for Indian pancake
- atta/whole wheat flour
- milk
- cardamom powder
- spice mix (crushed peppercorns, cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon)
- powdered sugar
- almonds & walnuts coarsely powdered
For frying: Oil or desi ghee/clarified butter
Refer to recipe card for details.
How to make malpua?
- Mix all ingredients to make a malpua batter. Whisk until sugar dissolves and keep it aside for 5- 10 minutes.
2. Heat ghee or enough oil in a wok/kadai so that you can immerse the malpua. Pour 2 tbsp. of batter in between a cookie cutter to make a perfect malpua. Repeat until the batter finishes.
3. Fry them until it turns golden brown.
Serve instant malpua immediately once it is evenly brown from both the sides.
Related links
atta malpua recipe | Quick Indian Pancake recipe
Equipment
- whisk
- wok/kadai
- cookie cutter (optional, for perfect shape)
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup atta or wholemeal flour
- 1.5 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon elaichi/cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon masala ¼ teaspoon each of black pepper,cardamom,fennel seeds,cinnamon
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar ½ cup if you need it more sweet
- 6-7 almonds & walnuts coarsely powdered
For frying: Oil or ghee/clarified butter
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk well until sugar dissolves and you get runny batter. Keep it aside for 5-10 min.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan, for frying. You must take enough oil or ghee, so that malpua are immersed in oil/ghee completely when you are frying them.
- Take 2 tbsp. of batter and pour it within a cookie cutter. Fry it until crisp golden brown on both the sides.
- Repeat until batter finishes. Garnish with powdered nuts optionally.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Substitution & Variations
You can also make this holi pua recipe with all purpose flour if you do not have whole wheat flour. You can also use jaggery powder to make whole wheat jaggery malpua instead of using sugar for making your malpua recipes.
Add some saffron strands to the above batter for a golden hue. You may omit dry fruits if you want to go nut free. However, adjust water according to the batter.
Serving suggestion: Serve them with some fresh rabri on top for special occasions.
Storage
Store it in refrigerator for 1-2 days. Fry again while serving or microwave it.
FAQ
It was invented in 16th century by king Gajapati Prataparudra Deva.
delicious malpua is the oldest known sweets in Bharat. The first reference to these traditional sweets is in the Rigveda where it is called apupa, approximately 5000 years ago. It was made with barley flour and shaped into flat cakes. These were fried in ghee and dipped in honey before serving.
Conclusion
Whole wheat malpuas are perfect for those who want to celebrate the festival with full fervour yet eat healthy. Serve it with or without rabri recipe at home for the festival season.
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