Malpua is a sweet Indian fried pancake, usually eaten with a milk pudding (rabri) or on its own dipped in sugar, syrup or honey. Quite like regular pancakes I suppose, except it’s traditionally fried.
On my continued quest to find bite sized Indian tapas, I decided to pan fry these in super mini sizes, and dress them up as a macaroon sandwich. The fennel and the chocolate does work well together, and the soft melt in the mouth texture was very welcome as a one-bite dessert. I was quite impressed I have to say, and they were rather quick & simple to make as well. I will definitely try them at my next cocktail party and see what the guests have to say.
Only drawback- they looked too cute to eat! 
Malpua Sandwich Bites
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
A bite sized appetizer for those with a sweet tooth.
Ingredients
For the Malpua (Sweet Indian Pancake)
- 1 cup (240 ml) wholewheat flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) brown sugar
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) yogurt
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
For the filling
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) baking dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the Malpua (except the oil) and make a smooth batter from it. It should resemble pancake batter. If required, adjust the quantity of the milk to get the right consistency.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan and make a large pancake from the batter (use approx 6-7 tbsp of the batter at a time).
- Cook evenly till both sides are slightly brown. Do this with all the batter.
- Cut out 1 1/2 inch circles from the batter using a cutter.
- Now mix the chocolate and the butter and melt in the microwave for 35-40 seconds.
- Beat the chocolate to get a smooth glossy texture and apply 1/2 a tsp on a mini pancake. Top with another piece to close the ‘sandwich’.
- Secure with a toothpick. Serve warm or cold.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 120
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is malpua?
Malpua is a traditional sweet Indian fried pancake, as the article describes it — usually eaten with rabri (a milk pudding) or dipped in sugar syrup or honey. This recipe gives it a modern twist by pan-frying mini versions and sandwiching them with a dark chocolate filling.
Why does this recipe use fennel seeds in a chocolate dessert?
The 1 tsp of fennel seeds goes into the malpua batter, and the article notes that “the fennel and the chocolate does work well together” — the slightly sweet, anise-like flavor of fennel provides an aromatic contrast to the baking dark chocolate filling.
Is this recipe traditionally fried or pan-fried?
Malpua is traditionally deep-fried, but the article notes the author deliberately chose to pan-fry these in “super mini sizes” using olive oil to make them bite-sized for serving as a one-bite cocktail party dessert.
