KESAR MALPUA

Saunf and Elaichi Malpua with Kesar Kheer! So yum!

Last week during Eid break weather was gloomy and so cloudy in Muscat and we were under complete lockdown…Hubby was in a mood to rustle something to curb his sweet cravings and suggested to make Malpua and Kheer…immediately he took the charge and made this amazingly delicious kesar kheer (of course under my guidance) !😉😁

And I made these fennel and cardamom Malpuas dunked in kesar syrup…ah the crispy warm Malpuas and deliciously cold n creamy Saffron Kheer (rice pudding) was such a delight to enjoy in this perfect weather. What is your favorite rainy day treat???

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOK TIME: 25-30 minutes

SERVES: 12-14 (depending on the size)

INGREDIENTS

For Malpua:

• 100g Milk powder (full cream)

• 1/3 cup single cream or cooking cream

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1 1/4 cup milk (full cream) plus 1/4 extra if required

• 1 tsp fennel, lightly crushed

• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

• 1 cup ghee for shallow frying + more if needed

For Sugar syrup:

• 1 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 1/2 cup water

• Big pinch of saffron

For Garnish:

• 1 tbsp slivered pistachios

• Few saffron strands

• Few dried rose petals and buds

• Silver or gold leaf

METHOD

1. In a small glass bowl, add milk powder and cream, mix together and place it in microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave, give a quick mix and put it back in for another minute. Mix again and heat for another 30-40 seconds in microwave. Mix and leave the khoya to cool completely.

2. Put cooled khoya and half of the milk in the blender and blend to make smooth paste. Pour the mixture in a large bowl, add rest of the milk and whisk. Add sifted flour, fennel and cardamom powder to the milk mixture, whisk together to make smooth lump free batter. Add bit more milk if the batter looks thick. It should be slightly thinner than the pancake batter consistency. Leave to rest for 15-20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile make the sugar syrup. Dissolve saffron in 2 tbsp water, let it stand for 5 minutes. Pour water, sugar and soaked saffron, bring to boil and reduce the flame and cook until it forms one string consistency. Do not make the syrup too thick else the malpuas won’t soak in the syrup. Let it cool and come to slightly warmer temperature.

4. Heat ghee in shallow pan, reduce the flame to medium. Pour a ladle full of batter in hot ghee for each malpua, and let it spread on its own. (Make 3 or 4 Malpuas at a time). Let the malpuas cook on one side for 2 -3 minutes or until there is no runny batter left on top. Carefully turn them around with the slotted spoon and cook for another 2 minutes until the edges are crisp and both sides look golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper for 1 minute. Repeat with all batter.

5. Now dunk the malpuas in sugar syrup for few seconds and place them on serving platter. Drizzle extra syrup on top and garnish with pistachios, rose petals, saffron strands and silver leaf. Serve warm with cold kesar kheer or rabri!

COOK'S NOTES

1. I made khoya at home using the milk powder and cream for the recipe. If you have access to fresh khoya use 100gms of that instead.

2. Make sure Malpua batter is lump free and is rested for at least 15-20 minutes before frying them.

3. I like the malpuas semi-thin (neither too thin or too thick) but if you like thin malpuas you can add little more milk in batter and change the consistency slightly thinner and vice-versa, add bit more flour to make it slightly thicker malpuas. It’s a personal preference.

4. You can also flavour the sugar syrup with rose water or cardamom as well instead of saffron.

5. Do not keep the syrup consistency too thick as Malpua will not soak the syrup in. Neither it should be too thin in consistency as the malpuas won’t stay crisp enough when dunked in thin syrup. It will make them bit soggy.

6. Don’t fry the malpuas on high flame, neither on low as both temperatures are not good for getting that perfect crispness and golden colour. Higher temperatures will it burn from outside and the inside will it be raw. Vice-versa, low flames make the malpuas soak in too much oil and will not get that colour and edges won’t turn crisp.