Gujiya is a traditional Indian sweet dish which is commonly prepared during festivals like Holi and Diwali. It is a dumpling that has a distinct shape and is popular in the states in the northern part of India. The dish requires some endeavour but if you have a sweet tooth, it is worth every bit of the time and effort spent in making it.
Ingredients for Gujia:
- Maida – 1 cup (heap)
- Mawa – 1/2 cup
- Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
- Powdered Sugar – 1/2 cup
- Roasted almonds – 5 pieces (Finely chopped)
- Roasted cashew nuts – 5 pieces (Finely chopped)
- Cardamom – 2 (powdered)
- Silver leaves – 2 (For garnishing)
- Pistachios – 5-6 pieces (finely chopped for garnishing)
- Melted Ghee – 3 tablespoons
- Oil for frying
Ingredients for sugar syrup:
- Sugar – 3/4 cup
- Water -3/4 cup
Preparation Time: 20 mins.
Cooking Time: 40 mins.
Method
For making dough:
Add maida and ghee into a large bowl. Mix well with your palms.
Then make a very hard dough by slowly adding approximately half cup of water (The quantity of water may vary a bit hence, add it slowly to ensure the dough is very hard). Leave aside for 10 minutes.
Knead again and divide into twenty equal balls and keep aside.
For stuffing:
Saute mawa on low heat till it changes its colour. Keep it aside in a bowl.
Roast grated coconut similarly and add to the bowl containing mawa. Let this cool.
Now add almonds, cashew nuts, cardamom powder and powdered sugar and mix well.
Divide into 20 portions.
For making Gujiya:
Roll each ball of dough into flat round shape of about two and a half inches.
Place one portion of the filling over one half of the round flattened dough.
Now apply some water on the edges and fold the other half to cover the stuffing.
Seal the edges by pressing with fork.
Add oil in a pan. Heat the oil and once it is hot, lower the flame.
Add a few Gujiyas at once into the oil and increase the heat to medium setting. (Do not clutter the pan while frying)
Fry till gujiyas turn golden brown. Once all are done, keep aside and wait till they cool to room temperature.
For making sugar syrup and coating:
In a kadhai or heavy bottomed pan, mix sugar and water. Boil till the sugar syrup is sticky and close to 1 thread consistency.
Add each Gujiya in the sugar syrup to coat them and switch off the stove.
Turn gujiyas upside down to ensure that all the gujiyas are coated uniformly. Repeat the process 2-3 times.
Garnish with silver leaves and pistachios and serve as a snack or post meal.
Note: The process of coating with sugar syrup is optional and you can skip it completely. You can directly have the Gujiya after it is fried if you wish to.