Malawax (Cardamom Crepe)

Updated Jan. 17, 2024

Malawax (Cardamom Crepe)
Joe Lingeman for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(571)
Comments
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Unlike the thick and flaky Yemeni malawah (or malawach), the malawax (pronounced ma-la-wah) that is popular in Somalia and across the Somali diaspora is thin and closer in texture to a crepe. Delicate and sweet, malawax is cooked on each side, resulting in a beautiful caramelized pattern with crispy edges that are the stuff of dreams. But that is where the similarities end: These sweet, tender crepes are bursting with the flavors of cardamom and ghee. They can be enjoyed as a snack, with coffee or tea, or as a fragrant addition to your brunch rotation.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 malawax
  • 1⅓cups/176 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1cup/240 grams whole milk or milk of choice
  • 1large egg
  • ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar, plus more for serving
  • 1teaspoon ground cardamom
  • teaspoon salt (preferably fine sea salt)
  • Melted ghee, as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

112 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 47 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a blender, combine the flour, milk, egg, sugar, cardamom and salt. Add 1 cup water and blend until smooth. Transfer to a big bowl and grab a ladle.

  2. Step 2

    Using a paper towel, lightly grease a medium nonstick crepe pan, nonstick skillet or cast-iron griddle with melted ghee and place over medium-high heat until well heated. Ladle about ⅓ cup batter into the pan and gently swirl to evenly distribute the batter into a thin round. If using a heavier cast-iron griddle, lightly distribute the batter to cover the bottom of the pan using a ladle. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until batter is no longer runny and bottom is brown or until malawax releases easily from the pan with a spatula.

  3. Step 3

    Just before flipping the malawax, drizzle it with ½ teaspoon melted ghee. Flip the malawax and cook on the second side for about 20 to 30 seconds, or until the edges get crispy and small, golden pockets appear all over the malawax. Flip the malawax onto a plate and sprinkle with your desired amount of sugar.

  4. Step 4

    Repeat this process with each malawax until the batter is finished and you have a stack of malawax. Don’t forget to distribute ghee in the pan evenly with a paper towel as needed between each malawax. Malawax is best eaten right away while it’s warm and the edges are still crisp.

Ratings

4 out of 5
571 user ratings
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Comments

Made this exactly as shown, and it was great! More heft than a crepe, but still light and chewy. I filled mine with apples, brown sugar, raisins, walnuts and cinnamon, but it was delicious on it's own with a little powdered sugar on top. Came together quickly, and the cardamom gives it a lovely flavor. Lots of options for fillings with this as the base.

You can just use unsalted butter instead of ghee works just as well, it’s what I use to make malawax I am not a massive fan of ghee

If you aren’t going to use a blender I would sift the flour to avoid any lumps, and also recommend letting it sit for half and hour

Quick to whip up! Filled with bananas and topped with Greek yogurt, honey, and walnuts for a filling breakfast. I’d love to experiment with some Indian style fillings.

These were fragrant and soft and delicious. Very easy to make. No substitutions. We had them with mascarpone, bananas, lemon butter, pecans, and honey. Quick and delicious!

My kid and I are big fans of NYT “no-recipe crepes” but these are a keeper! As with no-recipe, we skipped the blender. Also added a bit of butter and flaky salt before rolling and enjoying with bacon (and coffee for me) on the side. Delicious!

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