Malpua or Malpoa- It’s a sweet everyone loves

“Mashima, malpua khamu” – this famous line from Sharey Chuattor (Uttam Kumar-Suchitra Sen movie from 1953 with Bhanu Bandhopadhyay) still makes Bengalis smile. In our home, the reaction is the same. The moment the batter hits hot oil, the sweet aroma spreads, and my kids and Anindya are drawn in. In Bengali, we call it malpoa or malpo, and it is almost always made at home for Janmashtami and Dol Purnima. Sometimes, it appears during Bijoya Dashami too. The recipe varies from family to family, but the joy it brings never changes.

Malpoa (2)

Malpua

A little backstory of Malpua

Malpua is one of the oldest Indian desserts. The Rig Veda mentions ‘apupa’, a sweet made from barley flour, fried in ghee, and dipped in honey. Over centuries, the recipe evolved with changes in ingredients and regional preferences. Milk replaced barley water, wheat flour replaced barley flour, and sugar syrup took the place of honey. Today’s malpua still carries the essence of that ancient sweet, adapted to suit local tastes.

Across South Asia, this sweet has many names and versions. In Odisha, it is part of the Chhapan Bhog for Lord Jagannath. Malpua in Rajasthan is often served with rabri. In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, it can be thicker and richer. Bangladesh has its own version too, spiced with cardamom. The base idea remains the same: a batter of flour, milk, and sugar fried until golden and crisp at the edges.

Malpoa (5)

Malpoa (3)

How to Enjoy Malpua

Eat it fresh from the pan. Pair it with rabri for indulgence. Or simply have it on its own, the way most homes do. This is an instant batter recipe, and you should ideally let it rest for 30 minutes only. Any more, and the malpuas are a disaster. 

Malpoa- Bengali sweet

Janmashtami recipes that you may like:

1. Basanti pulao or mishti pulao
2. Niramish alu’r dom
3. Taal’er bora
4. Taal kheer
5. Mouri bata diye paneer- paneer cooked with fennel paste
6. Chal’er payesh- rice kheer

Share your cooking with us –

Do try this recipe and share your feedback. You can also reach out to us at our social media handles Instagram, Facebook or any of our personal Facebook (Madhushree & Anindya) & Twitter profiles. Post a picture and tag us.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNPhGkMPY1u/

Malpua or Malpoa

Instant recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Resting time 1 hour hr

Servings: 10 malpuas

Course: Indian Sweets

Cuisine: Bangladeshi, Bengali, Indian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup maida
• 200 gm condensed milk
• 1 tbsp sooji (semolina)
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp curd, dahi
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup water
• ½ tsp fennel, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp saffron water
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp ghee

for sugar syrup

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 green cardamom
• few strands of saffron

Method

 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine maida, condensed milk, sooji, oil, curd, and a pinch of salt.
2. Add water gradually and mix until smooth.
3. Stir in crushed fennel seeds, saffron water, and baking soda.
4. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 1 hour.

Prepare the syrup

1. In a pan, combine sugar and water.
2. Add rest of the ingredients.
3. Cook until you reach a single string consistency.
4. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Fry the malpua

1. Heat ghee in a frying pan over low heat.
2. Check the batter consistency — add a little more water if needed.
3. Pour a small ladleful of batter into the hot ghee.
4. Cook on one side until golden, then gently flip to cook the other side.
5. Transfer each cooked malpua to the warm sugar syrup.
6. Let it soak for 4–5 minutes, then remove to a serving plate.
7. Repeat for the remaining batter.
8. Drizzle extra syrup over the malpuas before serving.