1. Recipes

How to Make Banana Malpua (Fried Indian Pancake for Diwali) - A Step-by-Step Guide

Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the most anticipated and celebrated festivals in India. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It is a time for families to come together, exchange gifts, light oil lamps, and indulge in delicious sweets and treats. One of the most popular sweet treats enjoyed during Diwali is Malpua, a traditional Indian pancake that is fried and soaked in sugar syrup.

Today, we're putting a unique twist on the traditional Malpua...

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups white sugar, divided
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 5 pods green cardamom, crushed, or more to taste
  • 7 saffron strands, or more to taste
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup semolina flour (suji)
  • 7 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds (saunf)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch baking soda (Optional)
  • ¾ cup sunflower oil
  • 4 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
  • 8 slivered almonds, or more to taste
  • 8 raisins, or more to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Additional Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
  • Servings: 8
  • Yield: 8 servings

  • Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Remove from heat and keep warm.
  • Bring 1 1/2 cups sugar and water to a boil in another saucepan. Add cardamom and saffron. Boil until syrup is thick and sticky, 4 to 7 minutes. Pour syrup into a bowl and place it over warm water to keep warm.
  • Blend warmed milk, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, bananas, flour, semolina, condensed milk, fennel, salt, and baking soda in a food processor until smooth, not be too thick or too runny. Cover and let rest, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
  • Heat oil and ghee in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Drop 1 large spoonful of batter into the center to make a 2-inch pancake. Cook until edges turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and fry until both sides are golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
  • Dunk cooled pancakes into the syrup, one by one. Garnish with almonds and raisins.

    • Nutrition

    429 cal.

    • Total Fat: 11g
    • Saturated Fat: 6g
    • Cholesterol: 24mg
    • Sodium: 90mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 80g
    • Dietary Fiber: 2g
    • Total Sugars: 64g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Vitamin C: 3mg
    • Calcium: 98mg
    • Iron: 1mg
    • Potassium: 253mg

    Categories

    Indian recipes
    Dessert recipes
    Fried recipes
    Pancake recipes