By Aditi Saraswat
March 23, 2026
Malpua can be made vrat-friendly and festive but simple. Prepared with vrat-friendly flour such as kuttu or singhara, then lightly sweetened, it’s perfect for Navratri when you want something indulgent but still meets your fasting rules.
1 cup singhara (water chestnut) flour 2 tbsp mashed banana 1 cup milk 3 tbsp sugar ½ tsp cardamom powder Ghee for frying ½ cup water ¼ cup sugar (for syrup)
In a bowl, mix singhara flour, mashed banana, milk, sugar, and cardamom powder to make a smooth, slightly thick, lump-free batter, and set it aside to rest.
Make a light sugar syrup by heating water and sugar until slightly sticky. Keep it warm, as this will help the malpuas absorb the sweetness more effectively.
In a flat pan, heat ghee over medium heat. It should not be too hot, so that malpuas can be cooked evenly without burning or turning brown.
Pour a small ladleful of batter into the pan, and let it spread naturally into a small disc. Cook until the edges turn golden and just crisp.
Flip gently and cook on both sides until evenly golden. Remove from the pan and immediately dip it in warm sugar syrup for a few seconds to absorb the sweetness.
Garnish with chopped nuts and serve warm, with extra syrup if desired.