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Maleeda
ملیده (maleeda): warm flatbread crumbled with ghee, sugar and cardamom, made to fulfil a vow
AfghanMaleeda is a sweet with a purpose: Afghan women make it as nazr, an offering promised when they pray for something, a recovery, a safe journey or a child's exam, and then share it out among neighbours or at a shrine on a Thursday evening. Thin breads are cooked on a griddle, torn up while still hot and rubbed between the palms with melted ghee, sugar and cardamom until they become soft, fragrant, golden crumbs, a bit like a warm, buttery crumble topping. It is eaten from the hand or with a spoon, sometimes with chopped pistachios. Letting the bread cool before rubbing is where it goes wrong, as cold bread will not soak up the ghee and stays in tough flakes. Chef's tip: a quick pulse in a food processor gives you even crumbs, but finish by rubbing with your fingers so the texture stays soft.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 9 oz wholemeal (atta) flourplus extra for rolling
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ cup water
- 2 ⅞ oz gheemelted
- 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp pistachios (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz wholemeal (atta) flour and 1 pinch salt with ¾ cup water to a soft dough and knead for 3 minutes until smooth.
Step 2: Cover and rest for 10 minutes, then divide into 4 and roll each into a thin 20 cm round.
10 minStep 3: Heat a dry heavy frying pan or tawa over a medium-high heat and cook each bread for about 1 minute per side until speckled brown and cooked through but still soft.
3 minStep 4: Tear each hot bread into pieces straight into a large bowl and pour over a little of 1 ⅜ oz ghee as you go.
Step 5: Rub the hot pieces between your palms, or pulse briefly in a food processor, adding the rest of 1 ⅜ oz ghee, until they break down into soft, moist crumbs.
3 minStep 6: Mix 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar and 1 tsp ground cardamom together and rub them in until evenly coated and the crumbs smell sweet and spicy.
Step 7: Pile into a bowl, scatter with 2 tbsp pistachios and serve warm, or share out in small bags as the custom goes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maleeda take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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