Malapua
Malpua is one of the Chappan Bhoga (56 offerings) of Lord Jagannath and is traditionally offered during the Sandhya Dhupa (evening prayer) at the Jagannath Temple. This is a sweet delicacy made with flour, sugar, and milk, and then deep-fried in ghee or oil until golden brown. It is soft on the inside, slightly crisp on the edges, and often soaked in sugar syrup for added richness.
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour or Maida
1 tbsp Suji
1 Cup +1 tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp fennel seedd
1 tsp Cardamom powder
1 cup Milk
3/4 cup water
Instructions
Peel and mash the banana, then set it aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine maida, sugar, suji, salt, fennel seeds, cardamom powder, and one tablespoon of sugar. Gradually add milk and whisk to form a smooth batter. Add the mashed banana to the batter and mix well. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
While the batter rests, prepare the sugar syrup by heating sugar and water in a saucepan. Add a pinch of cardamom powder for flavor and simmer until slightly sticky.
Heat oil in a pan and add 1 tablespoon of ghee for aroma. Stir the batter once more and mix in another tablespoon of ghee. Using a small spoon, drop portions of the batter into the hot oil and deep-fry over medium heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.
Remove from the oil and immediately place the fried Malapuas into the warm sugar syrup and let them soak for 1 minute one by one.
Remove the soaked Malapuas from the syrup and serve warm on a plate.
*Note: For a richer taste, you can slightly thicken the milk by boiling it before adding it to the malpua batter. This can be served with Rabdi.