“I think every Jewish person around the world has something to celebrate with, right?” asks Eddna Samuel. For the Bene Israel — a Jewish community that believes they descend from survivors of a shipwreck off the coast of India over 2000 years ago — the signature dish for celebrations is malida. Made with flattened rice called poha that’s sweetened and served with fresh fruits like bananas and dates, malida is both the name of the dish and the ceremony surrounding it. 

“At its core, malida is more than just a recipe — it's a symbol of gratitude, abundance, and community bonding,” Eddna explains. It’s typically served at celebrations of major events like the birth of a child, an engagement or graduation. It’s also prepared as an offering when the community makes a pilgrimage to a mountain in Alibag, a town south of Mumbai, where they believe Eliyahu Hanavi’s horse left behind a mark. 

On Tu B’Shvat (known as the “New Year of the trees”), malida is enjoyed at home with family. When Eddna was growing up, she lived with her father’s aunt Yerusha who would prepare it for the holiday. Customarily, it’s decorated with flowers and 5, 7, or 9 different fruits to mark the start of the season of fruits. “And during the Malida ceremony, my mother, aunts, and grandmother would place a plain white cloth or men's shirt under the plate as a sign of purity,” she adds. 

While there is a fairly standard recipe, Eddna explains, “I feel that from hand to hand, it's a different taste.”

Cooking notes: This recipe calls for poha, fresh grated coconut, and elaichi bananas, which are sweet bite-sized bananas. Look for these ingredients at Indian or international grocery stores. For the red roses garnish, try to source organic roses to avoid any pesticides.

Recently, Eddna showed us how to prepare malida for Tu B’Shvat, which begins at sunset on February 12.  Explore recipes from India’s three Jewish communities.