Mawa bati is a speciality of Malwa and Nimar in Madhya Pradesh, seen at weddings and festival meals and in sweet shops around Indore and Ujjain. It resembles a large gulab jamun or kala jamun, but the dough is denser with mawa and each ball carries a hidden stuffing of dry fruits and cardamom.
The baties are fried slowly over low heat until they turn a deep brown, almost black on the outside, then soaked in syrup. The outer layer is slightly firm and caramelised, the inside soft and grainy with khoya, and the centre crunchy with nuts. It is very rich, so one or two make a complete dessert.
At a glance
| Region | Madhya Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Malwa |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Dessert |
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 40 minutes |
| Total time | 70 minutes |
| Serves | 6 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Gluten-free | No |
| Key ingredients | khoya / maida / sugar / dry fruits |
Ingredients
For the dough
- 250 g soft khoya (mawa), grated
- 50 g chhena or paneer, crumbled
- 3 tbsp maida
- 1 tbsp fine semolina
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp milk, if needed
- Ghee or oil for frying
For the stuffing
- 2 tbsp chopped almonds and pistachios
- 1 tbsp chopped cashews
- 1 tsp raisins
- 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
- A few saffron strands
- 1 tsp powdered sugar
For the syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 4 green cardamoms, crushed
- 1 tsp rose water
Method
- Boil the sugar and water with cardamom for 6-7 minutes until slightly sticky but not at one-string consistency. Add rose water and keep warm.
- Mix the stuffing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Mash the khoya and chhena together with the heel of your hand for 5 minutes until smooth. Add maida, semolina and baking soda and knead gently into a soft, crack-free dough, adding a little milk if needed.
- Divide the dough into 12 portions. Flatten each in your palm, place 1/2 tsp stuffing in the centre, seal and roll into a smooth ball or oval with no cracks.
- Heat ghee in a kadhai on low heat; it should be warm, not hot. Add the balls and fry very slowly, moving them constantly, for 12-15 minutes until deep dark brown all over.
- Lift the baties out and drop them into the warm syrup. Soak for at least 2 hours, ideally longer.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, halved to show the stuffing.
Tips
- Cracks in the balls will open in the oil – knead until the dough is completely smooth.
- Frying slowly on low heat is essential; high heat browns the outside while the centre stays raw.
- The syrup should be warm, not boiling, when the baties go in, or they shrink.
Serve with
Warm, with a spoon of syrup, after a dal bafla meal.