GUJIYA

Gujiya is not merely a Holi treat but a year-round affair. We Bengalis make the same dish with a different name as "Chandrappuli '' and different stuffing (kheer or coconut jaggery stuffing) during Makar Sankranti. My mom used to give a very professional shape to these traditional Gujiya / Chandrapuli, I have learnt from her, though not as perfect as her. 

This Holi, I tried making these with maya stuffing and they turned out delicious though. I have use Gluten Free Baking Flour from Nuttyyogi 

Ingredients for making the dough:

Gluten free Baking flour - two cups

Ghee - half cup

Lukewarm water - as required to make the dough 

For the stuffing:

Mawa / Khoya - one cup

Desiccated coconut - half cup

Chopped nuts - one tsp

Raisin - one tsp

Sugar - half cup (or as per taste)

Cardamom powder - half tsp

Oil / Ghee - for frying 

Edible silver vark and saffron - for garnishing (optional) 

Process :

1. In a bowl take 2 cups of flour and add half cup of ghee. Rub and mix the ghee with the flours, with your fingertips to form a bread crumb like texture.

2. Add half a cup of water in parts and begin to knead. The amount of water needed will depend on the quality and texture of flour. Knead the dough until it is firm and tight. Cover with a moist kitchen napkin and set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Add 1 cup crumbled or grated khoya in a frying pan. Stir the khoya continuously on a low heat. Cook the khoya until it begins to gather around itself. Add coconut, chopped nuts and raisins, give a good mix. Switch off the heat and add powdered sugar and cardamom powder. I have used powdered sugar as it makes the mixing easier. Mix everything well and keep the stuffing aside. Check the taste and add more powdered sugar if you prefer.

4. Divide the dough into small parts and roll each part in your palms to form a ball. Roll each ball with the rolling pin to a small circle having 4 to 5 inches diameter as shown in the recipe reel. 

5. Place about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of the prepared khoya filling inside, keeping the edges empty. And give the share on the edges as shown in the reel. 

6. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Add a small piece of the dough into the oil. If the dough comes up steadily and briskly, the oil is ready. Gently slid the gujia in oil. Just add a few pieces and don’t overcrowd, depending on the size of the pan, you can fry 3 to 4 gujiya at a time. Turn them over carefully and fry the other side. Deep fry them till they have become golden, turning over as needed.

7. Place the fried gujiya on kitchen paper tissues. Fry all the prepared gujiya in batches. Once they are cooled completely, garnish them with silver vark, few saffron strands. You can dip these gujiya in sugar syrup also. We have enjoyed the dry versions, and not the sugar syrup one.

P.S. The recipe reel is up on my Instagram page. Check it out @romisrecipe