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milk cake

​Malabar Style Wheat Paal Cake (Traditional Fried Milk Cake)

​A delicious, soft-on-the-inside and slightly crispy-on-the-outside traditional Malabar tea-time snack made with whole wheat flour (gothambu podi) and soaked in sugar syrup. This sweet and spongy fried milk cake is a absolute favorite to enjoy with a hot cup of tea!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Snack / Sweets / Tea-Time Treat
Cuisine: Kerala / Malabar Style

Ingredients
  

  • ​Whole Wheat Flour Gothambu Podi: 1 cup
  • ​Milk: As needed to knead the dough or for the recipe mix
  • ​Sugar: For the sugar syrup plus a little for the dough if needed
  • ​Water: For the sugar syrup
  • ​Cardamom Powder: A pinch for flavor
  • ​Baking Powder / Baking Soda: A pinch
  • ​Ghee or Oil: For mixing into the dough and deep frying

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • ​Deep frying pan / Kadai
  • ​Saucepan (for sugar syrup)
  • ​Slotted spoon

Method
 

  1. ​Prepare the Dough: In a clean mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of whole wheat flour, a pinch of baking powder, and a pinch of cardamom powder. Add a little milk and a spoonful of oil or ghee, and knead it into a smooth, soft dough.
  2. ​Shape the Paal Cakes: Divide the dough into small portions, roll them into small balls or desired shapes, and flatten them slightly (or shape them traditionally as shown in the video).
  3. ​Make Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan, combine sugar and water and boil it to make a medium-consistency sugar syrup (add a touch of cardamom powder for extra aroma).
  4. ​Fry the Cakes: Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium flame. Gently drop the shaped wheat cakes into the hot oil. Fry them on low-to-medium heat until they turn a rich golden brown color and are cooked thoroughly through the center.
  5. ​Soak in Sugar Syrup: Remove the fried cakes from the oil and immediately drop them into the warm sugar syrup. Let them soak in the syrup for a few minutes so they absorb the sweetness nicely.
  6. ​Serve: Take them out of the syrup and serve your juicy, traditional Malabar Paal Cake!

Video

Notes

​Frying Temperature: Always fry on a low-to-medium flame so that the inside cooks properly without burning the outer layer too quickly.
​Syrup Consistency: Ensure the sugar syrup is warm when adding the freshly fried cakes for better absorption.