Khoya diye Malpoa - Makar Sankranti/Poush Parbon Special

Khoya diye Malpoa

I am, what you might call, a 'selectively' traditional person - I (try to) follow all the traditions that involve food. And each year (for the last few years) I start the new year on the sweet note - when I make Patishapta and Malpoa for Makar Sankranti (Poush Parbon). This year was no different. I made Gur er Patishapta, this new version of Malpoa that I really liked and Mug Pakon Pithe - something that I had never tried or eaten before!

Ingredients for about 20 malpoa

• 1 Cup Khoya, grated if buying frozen (recipe here)
• 2 Cups of All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Fennel Seeds
• 1/4 tsp of ground cardamom
• A fat pinch of salt
• About 3 to 3 1/2 cups of warm water for making the batter. 
• Chopped almonds, pistachios and crushed dried rose petals for garnishing (totally optional)
• Enough oil for frying (I use a mix of oil and ghee)
• Sugar Syrup (see below)

How to make Khoya diye Malpoa

In a large bowl, mix the khoya and all purpose flour together along with fennel seeds, fat pinch of salt and ground cardamom powder. Add the warm water little by little to make a smooth batter. Whisk for few minutes to get rid of all the lumps. The batter will be slightly thick and not too runny.

Heat enough oil (for shallow frying) in a pan and add ladleful (about 1/3 Cup) of batter into it. The batter will spread out a little and take a roundish shape. Fry for a minute and when the sides start firming up, spoon some hot oil over the uncooked part. Now flip the malpoa and fry till the other side is golden brown. Take it out the pan and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

Once the malpoas cool down, transfer to the warm sugar syrup and let it soak in the sweetness. Take the sugar syrup soaked malpoas out and serve warm. You can garnish it with some crushed nuts dried rose petals or even with rabri.

Store leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge. Warm up in the microwave before serving again.

Enjoy!

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For the sugar syrup: 

• Sugar - 1 Cup
• Water - 3/4 Cup
• Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp (I add one split cardamom as well)
• Lemon Juice - 1/2 tbsp (it will prevent the syrup from crystallizing)

Heat the water, sugar and cardamom powder (plus one split cardamom) on medium heat in a small saucepan till the sugar dissolves and it comes to a boil. Lower the heat and let the concoction simmer till the syrup reduces and thickens to a one-string consistency. Keep it warm. 

I am sending this recipe to Kolkata Food Blogger's ongoing event - Poush Parbon