Malpua facts for kids
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| Course | Dessert, sweets |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Indian subcontinent |
| Region or state | Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Odisha, Gujarat, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra in India |
| Associated national cuisine | India, Nepal |
| Main ingredients | Plain flour, rice flour, fennel seeds, sugar |
Malpua is a yummy sweet pancake from the Indian subcontinent. People enjoy it as a dessert or a snack. It's very popular in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Sometimes, it's just called pua.
Contents
History of Malpua
Malpua has a really old history! It goes back to the time of the Vedic period in ancient India. Back then, people called arya ate a lot of barley. They made a sweet cake from barley flour. This cake was either fried in ghee (a type of clarified butter) or boiled in water. After cooking, they would dip it in honey. This old sweet cake was called malpua, and today's malpua still keeps its name and main idea!
Different Kinds of Malpua
Malpua is a favorite sweet in many places. These include Bangladesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Nepal. People often serve it during special festivals along with other sweets.
How Malpua is Made
The way malpua is made can be a little different depending on the region.
- In some areas, the batter is made by mashing ripe bananas.
- In Bangladesh, people sometimes use coconut instead of bananas.
- They add flour, water, or milk to make the batter.
- Sometimes, a little bit of cardamom is added for a nice smell and taste.
- The mixture is then deep-fried in oil until it's golden brown. It's usually served hot.
Malpua Around India and Nepal
In Odisha, after the malpua pancakes are fried, they are dipped in a sweet syrup. The malpua from Bihar has sugar mixed right into the batter before frying.
Amalu is another name for Malpua in Odisha. It is one of the special dishes offered to Lord Jagannath at the Jagannath Temple. Some malpua recipes use pineapples or mangoes instead of bananas. In West Bengal, Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Odia malpua, it's traditionally made with thickened milk and a little flour. Sometimes, they use rice flour instead of wheat flour.
In northern India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, malpua usually doesn't have fruit. These versions use ingredients like maida (a type of refined flour), semolina, milk, and yogurt. The batter rests for a few hours. Then, spoonfuls are dropped into hot oil in a special pan called a kadhai. This makes a bubbly pancake that is crispy around the edges. After frying, these pancakes are soaked in a thick sugar syrup.
In Nepal, malpua is also known as Marpa. It's very popular in the Kathmandu Valley. It's made with maida, mashed ripe bananas, fennel seeds, pepper, milk, and sugar. The preparation is similar to how it's made in India.
Malpua for Special Occasions
Malpua is a popular sweet to make during the Hindu festival of Holi. In some non-vegetarian homes in the Bhojpuri region, malpua is even served with Mutton curry during Holi!
Malpua is also a famous dish during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Muslim families across India and Pakistan make malpuas for iftar. This is the meal when they break their fast. This type of malpua often includes maida, rawa (semolina), and khoya or mawa (milk solids). It's deep-fried into a pancake shape. Some recipes dip the malpuas in sugar syrup, called sira, before serving.
See also
In Spanish: Malpua para niños
