Malida: Traditional Indian Sweet Crumble with Nuts and Jaggery Recipe
Malida is a traditional Indian sweet snack made by frying dough balls called Muthia until golden and crispy, then crumbling them and mixing with melted jaggery, fried gum resin, and toasted nuts. This richly textured treat is flavored with cardamom and ghee, offering a warm, comforting dessert perfect for festive occasions or as an indulgent snack.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cup (200 g) wheat flour
- 6 tablespoon semolina (sooji)
- ¼ cup ghee or cream
- ¼ cup warm milk
- 1 pinch salt
- Water (as required)
Frying Ingredients
- Oil or ghee (to fry)
Assembly Ingredients
- ½ cup mixed nuts (crushed; pistachio, almond, melon seeds)
- 2 tablespoon ghee (for assembling)
- ¼ cup gum (goond, crushed in bits)
- ¾ –1 cup (150 g) shredded jaggery (gur, gol) (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine wheat flour, semolina, ghee (clarified butter), and salt. Mix in warm milk along with water as needed to form a tight, crumbly dough. Knead well until the mixture comes together into a firm dough.
- Shape the Muthia: Divide the dough into small 2-inch balls. Press each ball inside your fist to create deep finger marks, which helps the dough cook thoroughly from the inside.
- Deep Fry the Muthia: Heat oil or ghee in a wok over medium flame. Fry the dough balls in small batches until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove and let them cool completely.
- Crumble the Fried Dough: Once cooled, crumble the fried dough balls using a food processor until you get a coarse crumbly texture.
- Fry the Gum Resin: In the same wok, deep fry the crushed gum resin (goond) over medium heat with constant stirring until it fluffs up and puffs completely. Remove and mix the puffed gum into the crumbled dough.
- Toast the Nuts and Cardamom: Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan. Add cardamom powder and the crushed nuts (pistachios, almonds, melon seeds) and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant and crisp. Stir this mixture into the crumbled muthia and gum blend.
- Melt the Jaggery: In the same pan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee, then add the shredded jaggery. Allow it to melt and boil gently until it reaches a runny consistency. Carefully pour the hot jaggery over the crumbled mixture and mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients well. Exercise caution as jaggery will be very hot.
- Serve Warm: Place the Malida in a pan on slow heat, warm it gently, and serve garnished with additional crushed nuts for extra crunch and flavor.
Notes
- Be cautious while handling hot jaggery syrup to avoid burns.
- You can adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of jaggery used.
- Ensure dough balls are pressed properly with finger marks to allow even cooking.
- The puffed gum resin adds a unique texture and subtle flavor; do not skip it if possible.
- Use fresh ghee for authentic flavor, but oil can be substituted for frying if needed.
- This recipe is traditional and typically prepared during festive seasons.
Keywords: Malida, Indian snack, sweet snack, fried dough, jaggery, nuts, cardamom, traditional Indian dessert
