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Pua: Dessert from Bihar
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Pua from Bihar: Thin, crisp Holi sweet

Classic Bihari sweet / snack pua (पुआ), traditionally made during Holi.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Resting Time5 hours
Total Time5 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Bihari
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: festive recipe, Indian sweet
Servings: 4
Author: The Steaming Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Refined wheat flour (maida) (मैदा in Hindi)
  • 1/4 cup Semolina (sooji / rava) (सूजी / रवा in Hindi)
  • ~1 cup Water (adjust as needed for making the batter)
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 Banana, ripe
  • 2 tbsp Dry fruits & nuts, finely chopped (walnuts, cashew nuts, raisins)
  • 1 tsp Dry coconut, finely chopped or grated
  • 10 Cardamoms
  • ~1 cup Oil (adjust as needed for deep frying)

Instructions

Make the batter

  • Place maida (refined white flour), sooji (semolina) and sugar in a pan.
  • Stir in water, a little at a time, till the batter reaches dropping consistency (See "Notes - A: Dropping consistency").
  • Set the pua batter aside for 5 hours to rest.
  • Peel and crush the cardamoms. Add powdered cardamom and chopped dry fruits to the batter.
  • When you are just about to fry the puas, mash a ripe banana and add it to the batter.

Fry the puas

  • In a wok or kadhai, heat enough oil for deep frying (one pua at a time). (See "Notes - B: When is the oil hot enough for frying?")
  • Using a ladle, spoon out the batter and pour it gently into the hot oil. (See "Notes - C & D")
  • As it fries, the batter will (on its own) flatten out into disk shape and the edges will start to crisp up.
  • At this stage, while the surface below browns, use a flat spatula to slowly move the oil from the sides of the kadhai towards the center above the pua.
  • After a minute or so, when the pua has browned from the bottom, turn it over and fry on the reverse.
  • After another minute, use the spatula to press the pua on the side of the kadhai to release its excess oil.
  • Take the fried pua out of the pan and place it on absorbent paper. Repeat for the next pua.
  • Continue till all the batter has been used and the puas are ready.

Notes

  1. Dropping consistency: The batter has "dropping consistency" when it slides slowly off the spoon when lifted. To test, dip a spoon into the batter and turn it over. If the batter sticks to the overturned spoon, it is too thick (=> add more water). If the batter pours down, it is too thin (=> add more flour).
  2. When is the oil hot enough for fying?: To test that the oil is hot enough for frying: Gently drop a tiny blob of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and browns immediately, the oil is hot enough. If it doesn't, the oil needs to be heated more. If the batter blob turns black, the oil is too hot - switch off the heat for a few seconds and then test again.
  3. When you drop the batter in oil, you might see it stick to the bottom of the kadhai. Don't worry about it - after a minute or so, the pua will leave the bottom of the kadhai on its own.
  4. Pua tastes best when not more than 1/4 inch thick. If your puas are turning out thicker, mix some more water into the batter.