Rumali Malida: Afghan Traditional Sweet Dish
Image Credit: YouTube @Dawat e Rasoi

We crave traditional cuisine especially on occasions. Staying away from home might be a difficult task for the people who can’t visit home during every festival. Malida is a traditional sweet made on special occasions. To make this quick and easy recipe, all you need is whole wheat flour, sooji, dry fruits, nuts, ghee, and sugar/jaggery. Treat your loved ones to a traditional sumptuous sweet by simply following the simple steps outlined below. This dish can also be made into ladoos or eaten dry.

Malida is a traditional Afghan sweet which is also made from crumbled whole wheat flour dough that has been sweetened and flavoured with cardamom and dried fruits. Malida can also be made with leftover or freshly baked whole wheat Rotis or flat breads. The addition of Jaggery and dates to the Malida recipe increases not only the sweetness but also the nutritional value of this filling treat. Jaggery cleanses the body, aids digestion, and contains minerals that are easily absorbed by the body to provide energy and essential nutrition.

Ingredients:

·         1 coconut shredded

·         250 Grams rice (Kolam Rice)

·         1/2 tsp salt

·         1/2 katori sugar

·         1 tbsp ghee

·         Coconut milk

·         Dry fruits 

Method For Preparation:

·         Take 250 grams of Kolam rice and wash it 2-3 times. Keep aside in a strainer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, spread the rice on a cotton cloth and let it dry overnight under a fan.

·         Now grind the rice coarsely and sieve this in a flour strainer. You don’t have to use the sieved amount of the rice flour. You have to use the coarse semolina that are not sieved and remain in the strainer.

·         The fine powder or flour which is not being used here can be used for Sarni Malida recipe.

·         Now take the semolina in a bowl and add 100 ml of thick coconut milk to it. Mix well, cover and keep aside for approx. 40 minutes.

·         After 40 minutes, transfer it to a cotton cloth.

·         Steam it for 10 minutes placing it into a steamer.

·         Now, transfer it to a plate and break the lumps if there are any using your hands. You can use a large spoon if you want too, but make sure the semolina is lumps free.

·         Take the ghee/clarified butter into a pan and met this. After that, add one tablespoon of sliced almonds, one tablespoon of calumpang nuts to it. You can also add the dry fruits as per your choice.

·         Now add ¾ cup of grated coconut to it and mix properly.

·         Add 1/3 cup of sugar, ½ tablespoon of cardamom powder and 1/4tablespoon of salt.

·         You can also add a few yellow food colours if you want to. Now add all the steamed semolina to it and mix well.

·         Cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.

·         Malida is ready to serve.

As a tea time snack, serve Malida (Healthy Whole Wheat Afghan Sweet) with chai.