Malpoa

Syrup-soaked Pancakes

VegetarianOrigin West BengalPrep 15–20 minutes, plus cooling timeCook 20–30 minutesMakes 8

These crisp-edged, tender Indian pancakes are perfumed with aniseed and soaked in fragrant sugar syrup. Rich and sweet, they offer a crisp outer ring with a soft, syrupy centre.

Batter spices

2.1 gWhisked into the pancake batter (step 1)

Aniseed · Vilayati Saunf

2.1 g1 teaspoon

spice

Keep whole: stir directly into the batter.

Everything else

Plain yogurt · Dahi

254 g250 ml

dairy

Plain flour · Maida

16 g2 tablespoons

flour

Granulated sugar · Cheeni

200 g

sweetener

Ghee

125 g

oil/fat

Method

Combine 254 g plain yogurt, 2 tbsp flour, and the batter spices in a mixing bowl and stir thoroughly to form a smooth batter.
In a saucepan, stir 200 g granulated sugar with 500 ml cold water over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat, boil until the syrup reaches a one-thread consistency, then take the pan off the heat to cool.
Warm 125 g ghee in a deep, heavy-based pan or kadhai over medium heat. Fry the batter a tablespoon at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown with crisp outer edges.
Transfer the fried pancakes with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels, then submerge each one into the syrup before serving.

Don't have something?

Plain yogurt

Yogurt
Use equal weight, whisked thoroughly until smooth before adding to hot dishes to prevent curdling.
Coconut milk
Use equal weight with 1 teaspoon lemon juice mixed in. Provides rich creaminess in curries, but adds a noticeable coconut flavour.
Single cream
Use 80% of the weight plus a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity. Enriches sauces nicely, though it is richer and less tangy.

Plain flour

Whole wheat flour
Use the same weight, add 10–15% more water and rest the dough for 20 minutes; the result is heavier and nuttier.
Rice flour
Use the same weight for crisp coatings; for doughs use no more than half rice flour with wheat flour, or it will be crumbly.
Cornflour
For thickening use half the weight, mixed with cold water; it is not suitable for bread or chapati dough.

Aniseed

Fennel seed
Use equal weight. Fry or grind as directed; slightly greener and less intensely sweet, but the closest liquorice-adjacent match.
Star anise
Use 50% of the weight. Grind finely or infuse whole in simmering liquid and discard before serving; delivers a stronger, woodier liquorice profile.

Granulated sugar

Jaggery
Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Ghee

Unsalted butter
Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.
Vegetable oil
Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.
Mustard oil
Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Similar dishes

Sheermal

Mildly Sweet Milk Bread

Sheermal is only mildly sweet and scented with cardamom, making it far less sugary and rich than this aniseed-infused, syrup-soaked dish.

Same: Both dishes are sweetened with granulated sugar and rely on dairy as a primary liquid base paired with aromatic spices.
Different: Sheermal is a baked flatbread made with milk, green cardamom, and salt, whereas this dish is a batter of plain yogurt and aniseed fried in ghee and soaked in sugar syrup.

Khasta Roti

Crisp Bread

Khasta Roti is savoury, flaky and layered with ajwain and aniseed, while this dish is rich, sweet and syrupy with crisp edges and a soft centre.

Same: Khasta Roti shares plain flour, aniseed, sugar and ghee with this dish.
Different: Khasta Roti adds semolina, milk, salt, ajwain seeds and butter, and it is an unleavened flatbread rather than a yogurt-based pancake soaked in sugar syrup.

Bhatura

Deep-fried Bread

Bhatura tastes savory and slightly tangy, lacking the intense sweetness and aniseed flavor of this dish.

Same: Bhatura shares the use of plain yogurt and granulated sugar with this dish.
Different: Bhatura uses vegetable oil instead of ghee, includes salt, omits aniseed, and is deep-fried into a hollow bread rather than soaked in sugar syrup.

Warqi Paratha

Layered Paratha

Warqi Paratha tastes salty, flaky, and ghee-rich, while this dish tastes sweet, syrupy, and perfumed with aniseed.

Same: Warqi Paratha shares plain flour and ghee with this dish, and both are Indian wheat-based foods enriched with ghee.
Different: Warqi Paratha uses salt and a spiral layering method to make flaky flatbread, while this dish uses yogurt, aniseed, and sugar syrup and is a pancake soaked in syrup.