Malpua is a soft textured heavenly dessert of India and Bangladesh. Malpua are very popular in northern India, particularly Bihar, Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa.

Malpua is basically a fried pan cake, which is soaked in sugar syrup. The pancakes are prepared with all purpose flour, milk and cardamoms. The batter is left to stand for a few hours before being spooned into a kadhai of hot oil to form a bubbling pancake. These pancakes are usually fried till they become crisp along the edges. These crisp pancakes are soaked in sugar syrup and are topped with “Rabri” (another very popular dessert of India, which is prepared with rich thickened milk). Malpua is usually garnished with chopped pistachios and almonds before serving.

There are many variations of Malpua based on the region where it is prepared. In some areas wheat flour, semolina, milk, and yogurt are also used for preparation of Pancakes. In few regions Malpuas are not dipped in sugar syrup rather they are served dry. The Bihari version of this dish, sugar is added to the batter prior to frying. Bengali and Oriya malpua is traditionally made only with thickened milk and a little flour. Sometimes all purpose flour is replaced with rice flour. A popular variation of the Malpua batter is to add grated coconut and ripe bananas, which yields a soft and spongy pancake. Sometimes mango pulp is also added in the pancake batter.

In Orissa, it is served as “Prasad” to Lord Jagannath while the people of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra make it for festivals like Dussehra and Holi. During Paush Sankranti, Malpuas are prepared in Bengali homes. Malpuas along with mutton curry is served in many non-vegetarian Bihari homes during Holi. Malpua is also a famous dish during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It is prepared across India, as well as Pakistan for iftar.

Malapua in Nepal also known as Marpa is specially made in the Kathmandu Valley which uses maida, mashed up ripe bananas, fennel seeds, pepper corns, milk and sugar into a batter and prepared in a similar way as in India.

Malpua recipe is not as daunting as it seems. This can be easily prepared in very less period of time.

Now serve delicious Malpua to your family and friends.