According to Indian tradition – “Having something sweet before starting or doing anything new is considered to be auspicious”, therefore I was thinking about sharing a sweet dish with you. Deep-fried Sweet Cake, which is also known as Pua is one of my personal favourites. In this article, I will give you a step by step method of a pua recipe that is easy to make and will definitely become a favourite of yours too.
What is Pua
Food is something that connects every part of the world together. Indian dishes have been known for their regional foods and diverse cuisines. Festivals in India hold a special place in people’s hearts and every festival in India has a signature dish that they associate it with. Pua is a dish that people mostly associate with the festival of Holi.
Pua is a traditional dish of Bihar. It is also popular in the states of Orissa Rajasthan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Indians relish it especially during the festival of Holi and it is made in almost every household. An occasion can feel incomplete without having pua in it. Pua has a special importance in the culture of Bihar. For every special occasion, from the birth of a child to a wedding ceremony Bihari’s’ never forget to include pua as a sweet dish.
In India pua varies from region to region but its essence remains the same across the country, a symbol of joy, happiness and celebration.
Simply put, the most basic type of pua is a sweet, deep fried pancacke that is made using flour and semolina. A pua is fluffy and soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. It’s tastes is so amazing that you will definitely fall in love with it and when serving with mango pickle/ jackfruit curry/ aloo dum/ chicken curry, it tastes even better.
Come let’s get to know more about this yummy dish that is popular not only in India but also in neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Versions of Pua Recipe
There are so many versions of pua in our country. We have Dudhpua, malpua and kelapua to name a few. The ingredients and methods of making them vary from place to place. Each and every version of pua has a unique flavour loved throughout the country.
Traditionally people make pua by using whole wheat flour and mixing it with milk or water and then setting it aside for a couple of hours before frying it. Ingredients like coconut, cardamom, dry fruits, bananas, sugar syrup etc., give a distinct flavour to it. Below are a few different types of pua that I have come across-
- Malpua: We must not confuse Bihari pua with Malpua. Both of them are deep fried pancakes but they are not the same. We make malpua by soaking it in sugar syrup after frying, while the pua from Bihar already has sugar in its ingredients that we combine with other ingredients before frying.
- Kelapua: Kelapua(Banana) is an improvised version of malpua, only different on the basis of adding bananas as an extra ingredient in this version. It is mostly made during Navratri and Diwali in the states of Bengal and Orissa.
But, I am sure you are here looking for a simple recipe. And that is where I come in. Here I we will teach you a pua recipe from Bihar and you can change it according to your own personal taste. Normally pua is made using whole wheat flour, but I will be using all-purpose flour instead. I will also be using semolina as it absorbs less oil while cooking.
Go for this version of the recipe if you dislike extremely sweet or sticky dishes.
Pua Recipe
- Cuisine: Indian
- Course: Dessert
- Preparation & cooking time: 2 hours
- Serving: 6 – 8 person
Ingredients:
- 250 gm All-purpose flour (Maida)
- 100 gm Semolina (Suji)
- 100 gm Sugar (or as per your taste)
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 2 Ripe banana (prefer to use singapuri banana)
- 15 – 20 Raisins (Kismis)
- 4 Cardamon (Elaichi)
- 1 tbsp Fennel seeds (Saunf)
- Water as required
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions:
Start by taking semolina and sugar in a big mixing bowl and then soak it in 4 cups of water for an hour.
Once it has been thoroughly soaked, add all-purpose flour and baking soda to the mixture and combine it well.
Next, add mashed banana, raisins, fennel seeds and cardamom to the mixture. Mix it until the batter becomes fluffy and smooth. (I prefer using an electric beater to combine the ingredients, but you can use your hands or fork too). Add extra water, if required.
Once you have mixed the batter, keep it aside for some time.
Heat sufficient oil in a pan or griddle for deep frying.
Once it is hot enough, drop a pinch of batter to check the temperature.
Pour a serving spoon of batter into the in a single consistency and DO NOT spread.
Fry it on a low heat for about 2-3 minutes and then flip it carefully to fry the other side.
Cook both sides of the pua in medium heat, till it cooks evenly and turns golden brown.
Repeat steps 7 to 9 for the remaining batter.
Serve hot with mango pickle/ aloo dum/ chicken curry/ jackfruit curry.
Tips for Pua Recipe:
- The more fluffy and smooth the batter is, the less the oil it will soak.
- Prefer using Singapuri banana because I tried it with other types of banana and it did not taste that good.
- The banana should not be too ripe or too raw, it should be just soft enough so that you can easily mash it with your hands.
- You can also add grated dry coconut to enhance the flavour of your dish.
And there you have it, a pua recipe from Bihar. No need to wait for a festival or special occasion to enjoy some sweet deliciousness with your friends and family.
Please try it and let me know how you like it. I would love to get your feedback!!
Happy Cooking 🙂