Popatjee

Golden sweet bites kissed with toddy and spice

Recipe Type Hob

Popatjee, a Parsi festive delicacy, brings together semolina, toddy, and gentle notes of nutmeg in a batter that’s fried to golden perfection. Each piece, crisp on the outside and tender within, is dipped in aromatic sugar syrup for a rich, melt-in-the-mouth sweetness. Traditionally prepared during Muktad, this sweet bread carries echoes of Dutch poffertjes and Persian kitchens—culinary influences absorbed through centuries of trade on India’s western coast. Once made in brass pans, today it’s recreated in appe moulds, keeping alive a timeless ritual of indulgence, warmth, and community celebration.

Ingredients

2 cups wheat flour
1 cup maida
1/2 cup ravo
2 eggs
2 tbsp ghee + for frying
A pinch of salt
1/2 kilo dahi
Almonds and cashew nuts
Cardamom and nutmeg powder
2 cups milk
Appe/Paniyaram pan

Method

Mix eggs and ghee together till fluffy. Add wheat flour, maida, ravo, dahi and mix well.
The dough must be semi liquid. Adjust the thickness using milk.
Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, almonds, cashew nuts and a pinch of salt. Mix again and keep aside.
Make sugar syrup with 1 and half cups sugar and water. It must reach one string consistency.
Heat the appe pan and add ghee to the holes.
Add about 1 tbsp batter to each hole and fry till one side is golden brown. Turn and fry the other side.
Remove from the pan and immediately dunk into the sugar syrup. It should cover the popatjee.

Find out more about the history and tradition of the dish

In India, ragi has been found in archaeological excavations dating back to 1800 BC, and has been associated with honouring poets with a concoction of ragi, milk, and honey.

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