Easy Malpua Recipe For Janmashtami: Crisp, Soft And Ready In 3 Simple Steps

Malpua is a significant festive treat for Janmashtami chappan bhog. It is made primarily with flour, milk, sugar syrup, and some flavorings like cardamom powder. While the recipe is made with only simple ingredients, the steps might pose a few complications for you after reading many variations online. Some make malpua with milk batter, while others make it with the fermentation process. There are many ways to make malpua and the different techniques bring a different flavor. Therefore it gets a little bit confusing to find out the authentic recipe to make malpua in the classic way.

After reading so many different variations online, you might start procrastinating and then later decide to not make malpua at all. But little do you know that making malpua is not as hard as it seems. You just need the right recipe as per the occasion and time limit. With a simple recipe, making malpua becomes more sophisticated and straightforward. You don’t need any complicated preparations to make the recipe. You can make it easily even with just 3 steps! That’s right, this recipe will teach you how you can make malpua in just three steps and it will come out way more delicious than traditionally made malpua.

While traditional malpua holds its own importance and the timely steps bring the flavor of labour into the final recipe, let's be honest here, you may not always get the time to prepare elaborate traditional recipes. Festivals in India bring along its own challenges, chores, and preparations. Amidst the festive preparations, cleaning of house, shopping, and all the stuff, it is hard to take out time to prepare the desserts for the whole crowd. Not to mention, guests often arrive unannounced or in large numbers, and you’re expected to serve something special instantly. That's where quick, easy, and foolproof versions of traditional recipes come to the rescue, like this instant malpua recipe that still carries the essence of celebration, without demanding hours of labor.

This recipe is made with all-purpose flour, semolina, bananas, and milk as the base ingredients. Semolina provides structure and crispiness to flour and helps in making malpua easily. Banana brings the natural sweetness with a wholesome flavor and thickness along with the moisture that keeps malpua soft from the inside but crunchy from the outside. Milk is used to make the malpua batter as it provides fats and creaminess. Khowa is also added in some variations and it also helps in making malpua creamy, but this recipe is all about taking it easy and using as little ingredients as you can to prepare the treat quickly. For frying, you can use ghee or oil, and for the sugar syrup, you can prepare it easily by heating sugar and water together until it becomes thick. Other ingredients like cardamom powder, saffron, and rose water or kewra water are only used for the purpose of flavoring. You can be as creative as you want to flavor the malpua. Since the base of malpua does not contain any highlighting flavor, the addition of more flavorings can make it delightful.

Check out the recipe below and prepare malpua for Janmashtami in just three steps.

Ingredients:

For the batter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp semolina (rava/sooji) – for crispiness
• 2 ripe bananas – mashed
• 1/4 cup milk (adjust consistency as needed)
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• A pinch of cardamom powder
• Ghee or oil – for shallow or deep frying

For the sugar syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2–3 crushed cardamom pods
• A few saffron strands
• 1/2 tsp rose water or kewra essence

Method:

Step 1: Prepare the Batter

In a mixing bowl, combine maida, semolina, mashed banana, fennel seeds, and cardamom powder. Now gradually add milk to form a lump-free, pourable batter. The consistency should be of pancake batter. Cover and let it rest for 30–45 minutes so the ingredients could hydrate properly.

Step 2: Make the Sugar Syrup

Heat sugar and water. In a saucepan stir and bring it to a boil. Add cardamom, saffron, and rose/kewra water. Simmer until it becomes slightly sticky. Make sure the consistency is runny so the absorption would be easier. Keep the syrup warm.

Step 3: Fry the Malpuas

Heat ghee or oil in a shallow pan on medium heat. Pour a small ladle of batter to form a round, thick pancake. Fry until golden and crispy at the edges. Flip and cook the other side. Remove and immediately dip into warm sugar syrup for a few seconds.Take out and place on a plate.

Step 4: Garnish & Serve:

Garnish with chopped pistachios or almonds. Serve warm or chilled. You can serve it with rabri too!