The Indian festival of Holi is one of the most fun filled, colour filled and food filled festivals on this planet.
While Holi might have few traditional recipes in comparison to its other festive counterparts, the best thing about Holi menu is anything and everything pleasing to the eye and soul can fit in there!
The topmost Holi sweet that comes to one’s mind is definitely Mawa Gujiya. Gujiya is a half moon shaped pastry with a sweet and rich filling. Filling usually consists of dried milk i.e. MAWA , powdered nuts and coconut. Yes the sweet is deep fried as most Indian sweets are, but these days mock gujiyas in the form of baked gujiyas are also prepared.
Gujiyas are prepared in different parts of India mostly for Holi and also for Diwali. What they are referred to and filled with depends upon which part of the country you are in!
The term Gujiya is however very North Indian and if you happen to be in the western state of Maharashtra it is referred to as Karanji, prepared mostly in Diwali. In Gujarat it is called Ghughra and Goa as Nevris.
Nonetheless, all these variants have ONE thing in common, they are nothing but super crisp & flaky deep fried goodness that one should not miss!
So, sharing here with you the recipe of Mawa Gujiya.
As intimidating some Gujiya recipe posts may seem trust me it’s not difficult to make them!
I tried them for the first time and they turned out wonderful. Just read the basics and adhere to them.
Gujiya Basics – 101
1) Prepare stiff, pliable dough.
2) The ghee (fat) in making the dough is extremely important for right texture do not play with proportions or look for substitutes.
3) Gujiya can be shaped using mold or hand. I bought a mold but after 2 gujiyas decided to hand shape. Found hand shaping much hassel free and fast.
4) The filling has to be dry and room temperature. Avoid sticky, runny, pasty kind of filling. Best stick to recipe.
5) Do not over fill the Gujiyas. Also seal them well.
6) Frying temperature is one of the most important things to keep in mind. Heat oil and then lower flame..gujiyas go in well heated oil ( not smoking) but are fried on low flame. Frying time is long and one needs to be patient.
7) Do not brown the gujiyas like pakodas or gulabjamun..most are really white kinds or very light brown.
8) It is impossible to make blister free gujiyas like some other recipes claim. As per my understanding of cooking, with so much fat in dough and as a frying medium there will be blisters.
9) Well fried gujiyas stay crisp throughout and are best eaten at room temperature.
Mawa Gujiya Recipe
To make 15 Gujiyas
For the dough
2 cups flour
6 teaspoon ghee
Water to bind dough
For the stuffing
1 cup Mawa
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup sugar
5 cardamom pods
1/2 cup assorted Dryfruits ( almonds, cashews, pistachio)
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons ghee
Oil or Ghee for frying
Pistachio slivers for garnish
1) To prepare dough, take a big, dry bowl and sieve flour in it.
2) Add the ghee and start to mix using finger tips. Mix till you achieve sand like texture (important step)
3) Gradually add water to bring everything together and form stiff dough. Knead to make it smooth.
4) Cover and keep aside for atleast and hour.
1) To prepare stuffing, dry grind coconut, sugar, cardamom, dryfruits.
Remove in a bowl.
2) In a pan heat ghee and roast raisins. Remove and add to the bowl of powdered filling.
3) In same ghee add mawa and roast till it is soft and smooth.
4) Cool mawa completely and then combine with the powdered filling.
5) Mix everything well.Make sure filling is not wet, soft or paste like.
It has to be dry and almost like breadcrumb texture.
1) When ready to make Gujiya, keep oil for heating on medium flame. Portion dough into 15 balls.
2) Roll each into a disc and fill approx 2 teaspoons of filling and deal the edges well by applying water.
3) Shape gujiyas using hand or mould.
4) Finish making all Gujiyas and then start to fry on low flame till they cook. This process takes time.
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