Holi 2026: 5 mistakes to avoid while making Malpua at home

When it comes to Holi celebration, dishes like Gujiya, Malpua, and Dahi Vada are some of the iconic treats enjoyed in every North Indian home. But if you ask them about the perfect recipe, you might get disappointed. While people make it at home, it often happens that they get disappointed with the final result. Especially with malpua—it is either lacy, chewy, and sometimes, it is too hard to eat a well. If you have been suffering a lot too, then fret not. We are here to point out all the mistakes and help you make the softest malpuas this Holi. Scroll down to pay attention to the details.

When it comes to dishes like malpua, key attention to the batter is necessary. If your batter is too thick, it will result in dense malpuas, while a runny one spreads too much and turns lace-like.

Solution: Make sure to have a smooth, pourable consistency, similar to pancake batter to get soft yet crisp malpuas.

For malpua, the batter needs to rest well and ferment. The most common mistake people make is frying the batter immediately, which spoils the dish completely.

Solution: Resting the batter for at least 20–30 minutes or overnight helps the flour hydrate and the flavors develop, resulting in softer, well-textured malpuas.

If the ghee/oil is too hot, malpuas brown quickly but remain raw or uncooked inside. If the oil is too cold, it makes the malpuas heavy and greasy as they absorb excess fat.

Solution: The trick is to fry them on medium heat, so that they cook evenly and turn golden. It is also suggested to press them gently after flipping to make the malpuas puffier.

We all know that one can't stop with one serving, but that doesn't mean rushing to cook too many malpuas in one go. Adding too many malpuas at once drops the temperature and prevents proper puffing and crisping.

Solution: It is suggested to fry in small batches to maintain consistent heat and shape.

Sugar syrup plays an important role in making the malpuas addictive. Either skipping the soak or leaving malpuas too long in syrup affects taste and texture. So, it is important to pay attention to this last step for malpuas.

Solution: It is suggested ti dip warm malpuas in warm one-string sugar syrup for just 30–60 seconds so they absorb sweetness without becoming soggy.

To make soft, fluffy and addictive malpua, take 1 cup of maida or flour, and combine it with 2 tbsp of sooji, 1 to 1 1/4 cups milk, sugar to taste, and 1/2 tsp cardamom powder. Whisk well and then let it rest overnight, and then make malpuas to get the right taste and texture.

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