Gujiya Recipe
One of the most famous and popular recipes especially in North India is the gujiya recipe. This gujiya is prepared mainly during Holi or Diwali or in Bengali New Year etc. This recipe is made mainly with the khoya or mawa which acts as the filling of the gujiya. This gujiya can either be fried or baked but traditionally when we make it for any occasion we generally fry it, to enjoy its crispy texture. This sweet dumpling can also be served by immersing in sugar syrup. But here I have made dry gujiya with mawa and dry fruits as the stuffing. Coconut can also be used in the stuffing.
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| Gujiya Recipe |
What is Gujiya?
Gujiya is a popular sweet pastry that is traditionally prepared during festivals. The outer layer of gujiya is prepared with all-purpose and is deep-fried in oil for its crispiness. Gujiya is filled with milk solids i.e. khoya, chopped dry fruits and nuts, cardamom, coconut, and sugar. These gujiyas are fried until it becomes deep brown in colour and crispy. You can also serve it during any family gatherings, get-togethers, etc. You can prepare the mawa in your home or you can buy it from any store in India. Preparation of mawa in your home is time-consuming and labor-intensive, so here I have used the frozen mawa of amul which I have brought from my nearby store. To prepare gujiya recipe follow and read my step-by-step procedures for making gujia.
Ingredients
1) 2 cups of all purpose flour and 1 cup of wheat flour
2) Mawa or khoya.
3) Sugar.
4) Chopped nuts such as almonds, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and raisins.
5) Coconut.
6) Cardamom powder.
7) Saffron strands( optional)
8) Ghee or oil for kneading the dough.
9) Water for dough preparation.
10) Pinch of salt.
How to Make Mawa Gujiuya Recipe
* Preparation of dough
1) Take 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of wheat flour, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl.
2) Mix the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, and salt in a bowl.
3) In a small pan or bowl, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee until it becomes warm and melts, or you can directly add the ghee and 1 tablespoon of white oil and mix it properly.
4) Then with the help of your fingertips mix the dough properly to make it as bread crumbs.
5) Add 1/3rd to 1/4th cup of water to the dough and knead it thoroughly.
6) Knead the dough until it becomes tight, soft, and firm, then cover with a moist cloth and keep it aside for 20 minutes to 25 minutes.
* Preparation of stuffing or filling
1) Chop cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and raisins and keep them aside on a tray.
2) Melt 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan on low heat.
3) Add 1 cup of khoya which can be made either at home or can be purchased from the market.
4) Continuously stir the khoya on heat because it will burn down if you don’t stir it.
5) Then add ½ cup of milk, and 1 tablespoon sugar and stir it continuously through.
6) With the help of a wooden hoe continuously stir the khoya.
7) Add some raisins into it and stir it on low heat.
8) Add the chopped dry fruits into the mixture of khoya and stir it continuously.
9) Add extra raisins and cardamom powder for additional taste.
10) As the khoya begins to gather around switch off the heat. Then transfer the khoya to a plate from the khoya.
11) Cool the khoya stuffing bring it to room temperature and keep it aside, until the stuffing is ready.
* Assembling
1) Take the dough and divide it into parts.
2) Make a medium-sized ball with the help of dough and make it in equal parts.
3) With the help of your palms roll each ball and keep it in a bowl.
4) With the help of a rolling pin roll each ball. Avoid flour while rolling the ball.
5) Place 1.5 tablespoons of khoya filling on one side of the circle. Don’t add too much khoya as stuffing as it may break while frying.
6) Gently press the edges of the circle with water and seal the filling properly.
7) Make a pleated design on the edges for deep frying. Do the folding so the stuffing does not come out.
8) Prepare in this way and arrange all the gujiya as a plate or tray.
* Frying of gujiya
1) Deep fry the gujiya after medium heating the oil.
2) Once the oil becomes hot place the gujiya in the pan and fry it.
3) Fry them properly until it becomes golden brown in colour from both sides.
4) Remove the gujiya and place it on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
Expert Tips and Advice
1) Maintaining the temperature of oil:- While frying the gujiya maintain medium heat in the oil. While frying the gujiya if the oil is cool, it will absorb excess oil while frying. If the oil is overheated then it gets brown faster, so fry the gujiya on medium heat.
2) Knead The Dough Properly:- Knead the dough in such a way that it becomes tight. To make crispy gujiya the dough must be tight enough.
3) Seal The Gujiyas properly:- Seal the edges of the gujiya properly to prevent any filling from leaking out while drying and frying. For sealing, you can also use a little water at its edges.
4) Use High-Quality Ingredients:- Use high-quality mawa, nuts, sugar, and ghee for the increase in taste and flavour of the gujiya.
5) Drain The Excess Oil:- After frying the gujiyas place the gujiya on a paper towel to drain excess oil before serving, which makes the gujiyas crispy.
6) Store:- Store the gujiyas in an airtight container once it is cooled completely, and you can keep it for many days at room temperature.
7) Proper Balanced filling:- The filling inside the gujiya must have the right balance of flavors. Try to adjust the sweetness of the gujiya with the amount of nuts as per your choice.
FAQs
Can I bake the gujiyas instead of frying them?
Yes, you can bake the gujiyas at a moderate temperature. But, traditionally it is deep fried.
What can I use instead of mawa or khoya?
You can use milk powder as a substitute and thickens it to make a mawa-like consistency.
How can I prevent gujiyas from getting soggy?
While preparing the filling, make sure it is cooled completely before stuffing. Also, see that the oil is hot enough before frying, and seal the edges properly to prevent oil.
***Thank you***