Gujiya Recipe

Today I have for you Gujiya recipe which is a Holi special sweet like Malpua, Thandai and the likes. It is made in most parts of India and goes by different names like Ghugra, Karanji (Maharashtra), Pedakiya (Bihar) and Nevries (Goa). Gujiya is what we Andhras call Kajikayalu, the recipe of which I have blogged earlier. Both Gujiya and Kajikayalu follow the same recipe and procedure. The filling for Gujiya and Kajikayalu is a mixture of roasted dry coconut, nuts, khoya or sooji (semolina), cardamom powder and powdered sugar. 

Ingredients:

For Outer Layer

• 2 Cups - Plain Flour/Maida
• 4 tbsp - Ghee or Oil
• Oil - To Deep Fry

For Filling

• 1 Cup - Sooji/Semolina
• 3/4 Cup - Mawa/Khoya (optional)
• 2 Cups - Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp - Cardamom Powder
• 1/2 Cup - Grated Dry Coconut/Khopra
• 2 tbsp - Raisins
• 4 tbsp - Chopped Cashewnuts
• 2 tbsp - Poppy Seeds
• 
  

Method:

1. For outer layer, in a wide bowl take flour, 4 tbsp oil and mix well, add water in small quantity and make stiff dough same like we make for poori, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside until required.
2. In a wok or kadai add khoya/mawa and cook in slow flame for 2-3 minutes or until it's melts, loosen up, off flame, keep aside.
3. Dry roast sooji/rawa until light brown and aromatic, keep stirring so it doesn't get burnt. Powder sugar with cardamom seeds.
4. In a large bowl add roasted sooji/rava, cashew-nuts, raisins, poppy seeds (I didn't used), dry grated coconut (khopra), powdered sugar and mix well.
5. Add khoya/mawa and mix well with hands to combine khoya with sooji well. If you are not using khoya skip this step.
6. Knead dough again for 4-5 minutes to make it soft and make big gooseberry size balls with dough, roll into thin roti/chapathi of 5' diameter or size depends on the size of your gujiya/karanji mold. The dough has oil or mooyan as we call enough so I didn't applied oil or flour for rolling but if you need apply drops of oil or slightly dust with flour to roll dough and don't worry about the same of roti/chapathi.
7. Grease gujiya or karanji mould with oil slightly and place rolled chapathi on top of it. Place 1 tbsp of filling on one side of partition. 
8. Bring another partition together and close it. Press the edges to seal gujiya well and remove excess roti portion from mould and keep it with rest of dough.
9. Press again to make sure gujiya/karanji is sealed well, gently open mould and take out gujiya. Repeat same for rest of dough and prepare gujiya.
   ----- If you don't have mould then roll roti and use a circle cutter or bowl to cut roti into round shape. Place filling and close gujiya forming half moon shape, press edges with a fork to seal and make impression or with hand pinch edges and seal it.  
10. Heat enough oil for deep frying and drop 3-4 gujiya at time and fry in medium to slow flame until both sides golden brown, do turn 2-3 times gujiya to cook it well both sides, use slotted spoon and drain oil, keep in kitchen tissue to drain excess oil and fry rest of gujiyas/karanji.
11. Allow to cool completely before storing in air tight container.

 Notes

• Tip : Gujiya moulds can also be used (they are easily available in any indian store or market).
• For using moulds, place the rolled dough ball in a greased gujiya mould and fill a tblsp of filling mixture on one side.
• Moisten the edges of the round and fold one side of the mould over the other.
• Remove the excess edges and reuse.