By Garima Johar
February 26, 2026
Suji Malpuas are a staple sweet of the Holi festival, crisp on the edges and soft in the middle. It is lightly infused with cardamom and saffron, making it perfect for gatherings and festive sweet cravings.
1 cup all-purpose flour (maida) 2 tbsp semolina (sooji) 1 cup full-fat milk 2 tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp cardamom powder 8–10 saffron strands (optional) 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (lightly crushed) Ghee, for frying For Sugar Syrup: 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 4–5 saffron strands 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
In a bowl, mix maida, semolina, sugar, fennel, and cardamom. Add milk and whisk everything slowly to make a smooth, lump-free, and slightly thick batter. Keep it for about 20 minutes.
In a pan, boil sugar and water until it gets a one-string consistency. Add saffron and cardamom to this. Keep the syrup warm so that the malpuas soak up the sweetness evenly.
In a shallow pan, warm ghee on medium heat. It should be hot but not smoking to prevent malpua from burning.
From the prepared mixture, pour a small ladle of batter into hot ghee. Let it spread by itself. Fry until the edges appear crisp and golden brown.
Remove the fried malpua and instantly dip it into warm sugar syrup. Let it soak for about 1 to 2 minutes so that it absorbs the flavour thoroughly.
Repeat the same process and arrange the prepared malpuas on a platter. Drizzle some extra syrup if required, and garnish with chopped nuts or dried rose petals for a Holi touch.