Malpoa or Malpua - An Indian Pancake

Sheer goodness! I like to call Indian desserts like this one by this name. They are delicate, unbelievably tasty and they leave a smile on your face. What else do you need from the last course of your meal? I've been in love with Malpuas (or Malpoas like we Bongs call them) all my life and can literally eat every variations and live on them. I don't make them too often because of the sugar content but when I do everybody in my family is allowed to binge on them. They last only a day so we just ignore the sugar rush and calorie content for that one day!

Little T's school wanted to celebrate Pancake Day and everybody had to take some kind of Pancakes for their Snack time at school. Hence I made the very Indian version of pancakes. Little T and her Mommy like their Malpoas crispy while Dadda likes them lightly brushed with thick syrup, thus giving it a crisp toffeed taste and appearance.

Malpoa/Malpua - Indian Style Sweet Pancakes

Recipe by my Mom-In-Law

*Note - You can add grated coconut, ripe mashed bananas, raisins, crumbled Kalakand or even pineapples to the batter. I've made a more authentic Bengali variation.*

Ingredients : 

For the Malpuas : 

Plain flour - 100 gm

Fine Semolina - 75 gm

Whole Milk/Full Fat Milk - 320 ml

Granulated Sugar - 50 gm (double the amount if you are not brushing or dunking your malpuas with extra sugar syrup)

Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Oil to fry

For the Syrup :

Sugar - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup 

(Basically the ratio needs to be 1:1 no matter how much sugar you are using)

Crushed Cardamom pods - 3-4

Method : 

Make the sugar syrup by heating the sugar and water together in a pan and reducing the amount to an one string consistency. Add the crushed cardamoms, mix well and keep aside. 

Mix all the ingredients for the malpuas together and keep aside for 1-2 hrs. 

Heat oil in a deep bottomed Kadhai. Give the batter a good whisk again. Deep fry the pancakes by adding half a ladle full at a time. Fry both the sides till golden in colour. 

Remove and place on a bowl lined with kitchen towels to soak extra oil. Slowly brush the Malpuas with the syrup or give them a quick dunk in the syrup one at a time.

Serve them warm or cold.

Happy Pancake Day to all my readers :).

**Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Day) is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is observed mainly in English speaking countries, especially Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and Canada but is also observed in Philippines and Germany. Shrove Tuesday is linked to Easter, so its date changes on an annual basis.

In most traditions the day is known for the eating of pancakes before the start of Lent. Pancakes are eaten as they are made out of the main foods available, sugar, fat, flour and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with Lent.- Wiki **