u003cstrongu003eHow thick should Maida Adai batter be?u003c/strongu003e

The batter should be u003cstrongu003epourable but slightly thickeru003c/strongu003e. It should flow easily when poured, without needing to be spread.

u003cstrongu003eWhat makes this a Muslim-style sweet dosa?u003c/strongu003e

The soft texture, minimal sweetness, folded banana filling, and milk-based batter make it unique to u003cstrongu003eBakrid week and post-feast tiffinsu003c/strongu003e in Muslim households, especially in Nagore and Arcot.

u003cstrongu003eCan I make Maida Adai without banana?u003c/strongu003e

Yes. You can serve it plain with ghee or pair with coconut milk, but the u003cstrongu003ebanana-stuffed version is a rare revivalu003c/strongu003e worth trying.

Maida Sweet Dosa: A Delicious Tradition

These Recipes Are Memory — Not Free Content.
The recipes, including maida sweet dosa, stories, and revival work shared on Sandyathome are original and rooted in personal memory, cultural lineage, and emotional labor. This content is not to be copied, rewritten, reposted, or adapted elsewhere — in part or full — without explicit written permission. These are not just recipes. They are pieces of a forgotten culinary history I am choosing to preserve with care and honesty. Please respect that integrity.

In many Tamil Muslim homes, especially in the coastal town of Nagore, the days following Bakrid weren’t always about rich feasts. Once the biryani pots were cleared and guests had gone quiet, came a different kind of sweet – simple, soulful, and folded with care. This Maida Adai, gently cooked on a ghee-slicked iron tawa and folded with ripe banana slices inside, was never made to impress. It was made to comfort. The comforting nature of this maida sweet dosa was invaluable.

This sweet dosa what was served to elders, nursing mothers, and children on Fridays after Bakrid. Not in a box, not dipped in sugar syrup – just warm from the pan, soft in the center, and kissed with cardamom. This version, Maida sweet adai folded with banana inside, is a lesser-known but very real revival from the Muslim kitchens of Nagore.

Today, I’m sharing this Muslim style sweet dosa recipe as part of my Sandyathome Revival Recipes – sweet adai made with 1 tbsp sugar, because memory doesn’t need more.

Since Bakrid is around the corner, I wanted to share this sweet that was never served in boxes or trays — only folded with banana, warm from the tawa, and passed with love. This is Maida Adai, Muslim-style. A revival from Nagore, made with just 1 tbsp sugar and a whole lot of memory.

2025 Sandyathome. All rights reserved. This original recipe, story, and content are the exclusive intellectual property of Sandyathome. Any reproduction, adaptation, distribution, or use, in full or in part, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

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Bakrid special maida adai sweet with banana slices and ghee drizzle

Ingredients Role

Ingredient	Role in Recipe
Maida	Acts as the base for the adai, creating a soft and foldable texture crucial for making maida sweet dosa.
Milk	Adds moisture and tenderness; helps the batter cook evenly.
Sugar	Provides mild sweetness to complement the banana and cardamom.
Cardamom powder	Infuses the adai with a gentle aroma and traditional sweet flavor.
Salt	Enhances overall flavor; balances the sweetness.
Ripe Banana	Fills the folded adai with natural sweetness and soft texture.
Grated Coconut	Adds softness, gentle sweetness, and a festive touch.
Ghee	Used for greasing the pan and finishing; adds richness and aroma.

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How to make Maida Sweet Dosa with Banana, Muslim-Style sweet adai

Recipe by Sandhya Riyaz

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: Dessert, Sweet TiffinCuisine: Tamil Muslim, South IndianDifficulty: Very Easy

Servings

1 pc per serving

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Resting Time

minutes

Soft, folded Maida Adai made Muslim-style with banana slices and just 1 tbsp sugar. A forgotten Tamil revival sweet cooked on a tawa and served warm during Bakrid week.

Ingredients to make Maida Sweet Dosa

¼ cup, ¼ Maida
(all-purpose flour)
⅓ cup, ⅓ Milk
(about 5 tbsp, enough to make the batter pourable)
1 to 2 tablespoon, 1 to 2 Sugar/ Panam kalkandu
1 tablespoon, 1 Grated Coconut
1 pod, 1 Cardamom powder – a pinch
Salt – a tiny pinch
1 to 2 drops, 1 to 2 Rose water
(optional, for Nagore-style)
1 nos. 1 Ripe banana, sliced thin
(small sized, rasthali or nendhiram works best)
1 tablespoon, 1 Ghee or coconut oil
(for greasing the pan and drizzle)

Directions to make Maida Sweet Dosa

Mix batter:
Combine maida, sugar/ panam kalkandu (melted in hot water), salt, cardamom, grated coconut. Add milk slowly and whisk to form a smooth, slightly pourable, and able to spread on its own with gentle tilting. Give it rest time for 15 minutes. This step is important for soft dosa/ adai.
Heat pan:
Use a heavy iron tawa or non-stick pan. Grease with ghee.
Cook the adai:
Pour one ladle of batter into the center. Gently swirl the pan (don’t spread with ladle).
Cover and cook on low flame until edges lift and the surface is dry. Then flip, cook other side for few seconds only.
Serve:
Fold gently into half or triangle. Drizzle with ghee or serve plain.
Optionally plate it with sliced banana or a small katori of coconut milk.

Notes

1 cup = 250 ml

Directions to make maida sweet dosa with step by step images

Mix batter:
Combine maida, sugar/ panam kalkandu (melted in hot water), salt, cardamom, grated coconut and rose water (optional). Add milk slowly and whisk to form a smooth, slightly pourable, and able to spread on its own with gentle tilting. Give it rest time for 15 minutes. This step is important for soft dosa/ adai.
Batter consistency:
The should have consistency as shown in the collage.
Cook and Serve:
Heat a heavy iron tawa or non-stick pan and grease it lightly with ghee. Pour one ladle of batter into the center and gently swirl the pan to let it spread — do not use the ladle to spread. Cover with a lid and cook on low flame until the surface is set and the edges lift slightly. Once done flip, let it cook.
When done place a few banana slices on one side, fold gently into half or triangle, and remove. Drizzle with warm ghee and serve hot — as is, or with a small katori of coconut milk on the side.

Serving Suggestion:

Serve hot, straight from the tawa, folded with sliced ripe banana inside. Drizzle with a little warm ghee.
Optionally pair with a small tumbler of coconut milk or mashed nendhiram.
Best enjoyed on a banana leaf, as it was always meant to be, especially when savouring the traditional maida sweet dosa.

Pro Tips:

Do not spread the batter like dosa. Pour and swirl gently to let it shape itself, ideal for the maida sweet dosa.
Use a well-seasoned iron pan or nonstick tawa to avoid sticking.
Rest the batter for 10–15 mins for softer texture.
Slice banana just before placing inside to avoid discoloration.
Add rose water after cooking for a more traditional Nagore-style aroma.

FAQs for Maida sweet dosa

Can I use jaggery instead of sugar in Maida Adai?

Traditionally, Tamil Muslim homes used sugar in Maida Adai. Jaggery may alter the color and texture, but can be used in very small amounts if preferred.

How thick should Maida Adai batter be?

The batter should be pourable but slightly thicker. It should flow easily when poured, without needing to be spread.

What makes this a Muslim-style sweet dosa?

The soft texture, minimal sweetness, folded banana filling, and milk-based batter make it unique to Bakrid week and post-feast tiffins in Muslim households, especially in Nagore and Arcot.

Can I make Maida Adai without banana?

Yes. You can serve it plain with ghee or pair with coconut milk, but the banana-stuffed version is a rare revival worth trying.

2025 Sandyathome. All rights reserved. This original recipe, story, and content are the exclusive intellectual property of Sandyathome. Any reproduction, adaptation, distribution, or use, in full or in part, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.