Lemony Kadhi Malpua - Fusion Style

          Kadhi (spiced yoghurt) is my all time favorite comfort food. It is healthy, simple, easy to make and yummy too. Kadhi is a very common menu in many North & West Indian platter. They are prepared with or without pakoras / fritters dipped in it. I added some kaffir lime leaves for some refreshing lemony flavor. This recipe is a bit of a fusion style. 

           As I had some leftover malpuas (before dunking in the sugar syrup), thought of adding these to the kadhi. So use a cookie cutter to give the malpuas a desired shape and go ahead with the recipe. You will have a different style of kadhi that can be served with rice or chapatis. 

• Few leftover Malpuas, cut into desired shapes
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 3 tbsp. roasted besan
• 3 & 1/2 cups water
• few kaffir lime leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin-coriander powder
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves to garnish (opt)

           Blend the yoghurt, besan, water and all the dry spices. Heat oil in a pan. Temper with cumin seeds, green chilies and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Pour over the yoghurt mix and the kaffir lime leaves. Bring it to a boil and simmer on a low flame, by stirring at intervals till it gets slightly thick. 

          Drop in the Malpuas and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Switch off the flame and discard the kaffir lime leaves. 

           Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani or any type of Indian bread.

Apple & Grapes Malpua - Fusion Dessert

          Malpua and the festival of Holi goes hand in hand. Moreover, a little bit of innovation goes a long way in creating a great fusion dish for this festive occasion. So here is my take in coming up with an amazing dessert with some fruits and juice sitting in my refrigerator. 

          I must say this fusion style dessert turned out very yummy. Serve them chilled as an after-meal dessert or relish as and when desired. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup semolina
• pinch of salt
• 2-3 tbsp. sugar or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. kewra / rose water
• 2 cups apple juice or as required
• 2 tbsp. chopped grapes
• 1-2 tbsp. chopped nuts & raisins
• ghee for shallow frying

          In a bowl, mix together sooji, atta, sugar, salt, cardamom powder, fennel seeds and required quantity of apple juice. 

          Prepare a batter and leave aside for 25-30 minutes. Add the chopped grapes and add more juice / water if needed. The batter should be of pouring consistency. 

          Heat a non-stick pan and add 1 tsp. of ghee. Pour a small ladleful of the batter and cook on both sides till light golden in colour. 

          Soak them in the apple juice for 5 minutes. Make similar malpuas with the remaining batter.

          Drain and arrange the malpuas on a serving plate and drizzle the apple juice over it.  Garnish with the chopped nuts and raisins. 

          Serve, chilled and enjoy this yummy exotic dessert as an after-meal dessert or as and when desired. 

                Mix sooji, atta, sugar, salt, cardamom powder, fennel seeds & some apple juice. 
                Prepare a batter & keep aside for 25-30 min.

                               Add chopped grapes and add more juice / water if needed. 

                    Heat a non-stick pan & add 1 tsp. of ghee. Pour a small ladleful of the 
                    batter.

                    Cook on both sides till light golden in colour. Soak them in the apple juice 
                    for 5 minutes. Make similar malpuas with the remaining batter.

                    Drain and arrange the malpuas on a serving plate. Drizzle apple juice
                    over it.  Garnish with chopped nuts & raisins. Serve, chilled & enjoy 
                    as an after-meal dessert or as & when desired. 

Spinach Malpua

           Malpuas are delicious sweet Pancakes, very popular in West Bengal, other Northern & North Eastern regions. There are many versions to this recipe where the ingredients differ from one region to the other. But how about these Malpuas in a different avatar? 

          In this recipe, I added some sautéed spinach puree to make these exotic Spinach Malpuas. They are then dipped in sugar syrup and served, garnished with chopped nuts and few dried rose petals. 

• 1/2 cup sooji (semolina)
• 1/2 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 cup spinach puree
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp. sugar for the malpua batter
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• ghee for shallow frying
• 1 cup sugar for the syrup
• 1 cup water 
• 2-3 cardamoms
• pinch of saffron
• 1 tbsp. chopped nuts (almonds & pistachios)
• few dried rose petals

          Batter -   Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan and sauté the spinach puree till dry. Keep aside to cool down. 

         In a bowl, mix together sooji, atta, 1 tbsp. sugar,  1/4 tsp. cardamom powder, fennel seeds, the sautéed spinach and required quantity of water. Prepare a batter and leave aside for 25-30 minutes.

          Sugar Syrup - In a pan heat together 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, saffron and whole cardamoms. Simmer on a low flame till the sugar is dissolved and you have a slightly thick syrup. Keep aside.

           To prepare malpuas, adjust water and add more if the batter has turned thick. Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp. of ghee.

           Pour a small ladleful of the batter and cook on both sides till light golden in color. 

          Soak in the sugar syrup for few seconds till it is well coated. Make similar malpuas with the remaining batter.

          To serve - Arrange the malpuas on a serving plate and drizzle the sugar syrup. 

          Garnish with the chopped nuts and rose petals. Enjoy this yummy exotic dessert hot or cold.

Fruity Malpua Pizza - Fusion Style

          PIZZA is an universally favourite fast food. So now how about having it as a dessert? Here is my version of a 'FRUIT PIZZA' that can be served as an after-meal dessert. There are two other sweets hidden in it -  The pizza base is that of MALPUA, which is generously spread with SHRIKHAND (hung yoghurt) and finally topped with some colourful fruits. 

          I tried to keep this amazing pizza, simple, healthy and appealing. Any other variety of fruits can be used. So go ahead and create your own fruit pizza by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this visual treat.

Ingredients for Malpua - 

• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
• 1/4 cup semolina (sooji)
• 1 -2 tsp. sugar or to taste
• pinch of cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds (saunf)
• milk as required
• oil to shallow fry

Ingredients for pizza sauce - 

• 400 gms. yoghurt
• powdered sugar to taste

Toppings - 

• black grapes
• plums
• watermelon
• kiwi
• any other fruits too, can be added

          To prepare the sweet pizza sauce - Pour the yoghurt in a cheesecloth and place it on a strainer. Keep a bowl under it and refrigerate overnight. 

         The thick hung yogurt is used in this recipe. Add powdered sugar to taste and mix well. Keep aside.

         To prepare malpua / pizza base - In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients (except milk and oil). Add milk little at a time and prepare a batter. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. 

         Adjust the consistency. Add more milk / water if required as the batter should be of pouring consistency.

          Heat 1-2 tsp. oil and pour 2-3 ladleful of the batter (makes 2 malpuas). Cook on both sides on a medium flame till light golden in color. Drain on a kitchen towel. Prepare the other malpua too.

          To assemble the final Pizza - On the malpua, spread the hung yoghurt generously and top it up with your favorite fruits in a nice, attractive pattern.

          Refrigerate for an hour. Cut into slices and serve as an after-meal dessert.

                 Pour yoghurt in a cheese cloth & place on a strainer. Keep a bowl under it
                 & refrigerate overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used in this recipe. 

                                  Add powdered sugar & mix well. Keep aside.

                     Mix all ingredients (except milk & oil). Add milk & prepare a batter.
                     Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. 

                                 Heat 1-2 tsp. oil & pour 2-3 ladleful of the batter.

                   Cook both sides on med. flame till light golden. Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                 Slice / chop fruits as desired.

                                Take one malpua.....

Spread hung yoghurt over it.

Place fruits as desired in an attractive pattern. Refrigerate for an hour.

                       Cut into slices & serve as an after-meal dessert.

Shahi Malpua (Sweet Pancakes in thick Creamy Sauce)

          Shahi Malpuas are delicious sweet Pancakes, very popular in West Bengal and other Northern regions. There are many versions to this recipe where the ingredients differ from one region to the other. This is my family recipe that I am sharing. 

          In this recipe, I shallow fried them for a healthier option. They are then dipped in sugar syrup and topped with chopped nuts on a bed of rabdi (thickened milk).  The rabri can also be drizzled over it while serving. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup sooji (semolina)
• 1/2 cup maida (Plain flour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar for the malpua batter
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• milk as required
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• sugar to taste for the instant rabri
• ghee for shallow frying
• 3/4 cup brown sugar for the syrup
• 2-3 pinches of cardamom powder  
• 4-5 cardamoms
• 1 tsp. chopped nuts 

          Batter -  In a bowl, mix together sooji, maida, coconut, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 pinch of cardamom powder, fennel seeds and required quantity of milk and prepare a batter. Leave aside for 30 minutes.

          Sugar Syrup - In a pan heat together 3/4 sugar, 3/4 cup water and remaining cardamom powder. Simmer on a low flame till the sugar is dissolved and you have a slightly thick syrup. Keep aside.

          Instant Rabdi - Mix together evaporated milk and sugar to taste. Keep aside.

          To prepared malpuas, adjust milk and add more if the batter has turned thick. Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp. of ghee.

          Pour a small ladleful of the batter and cook on both sides till light golden in colour. Make in batches of two or three.

          Immediately soak in the sugar syrup for few seconds till it is well coated. Place on a serving dish and top it up with the instant rabdi and chopped nuts. Refrigerate if preferred and enjoy them hot or cold.








Note:
For the rabdi - you can go in for the lengthy process of thickening the milk till it is semi solid. 
For the batter - You can combine, atta (whole wheat flour), khoya / mawa (Milk solids), milk powder instead of sooji and maida as per choice.

                                   In a bowl, mix together sooji (semolina),

                             .    .......maida,

                                  Grind brown sugar along with cardamom into a powder.

                                  Add ground sugar.

                                .....1 & 1/2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut.

                                  Also add sugar & cardamom powder. Mix well.

                                 Add required quantity of milk....

                        ...and form a batter of pouring consistency. Set aside for 30 minutes

                                   To make the sugar syrup, grind sugar and cardamoms. 
                          

                                   Add this to the pan....

                        ...along with water & cardamoms. Simmer till slightly thick. Keep aside.

                                  Mix the batter well again. Adjust water if required.

                                  The batter should be of pouring consistency.

                                  Add fennel seeds & give it a mix.

                                  Heat some ghee & pour two ladleful of the batter.

                                    Fry on both sides till light golden in colour.

                                 Transfer on to a plate.

                             Dip them into the sugar syrup for a few seconds till well coated.

                                 Arrange on a serving plate & serve......

                               ........topped with the instant rabdi & chopped nuts.