Gujia(Half Moon shaped stuffed pastry).

This half-moon shaped delicacy is apt to win your heart if you are making it for the first time.It holds center stage in every Holi celebration.
Gujia/Gujhiya as it is called in UP and Delhi is called by many names in various parts of the country.The beauty is that its popular in some way or the other and people continue to make it on festive occasions.The following are the names it holds:

STATE                                                                                       NAME OF THE VERSION

UP/Delhi/Punjab                                                                                 Gujiya/Gujhiya

Bihar                                                                                                         Pedakiya

Maharashtra                                                                                          Karanji

Tamil Nadu                                                                                             Karachika

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka                                                     Kajjikayi

Goa                                                                                                              Nevri

Gujiya is made with a variety of fillings.They are:

1.Khoya or Mawa – Its the main ingredient most of the time.It is mixed with sugar,nuts and cardamom.(My version).

2.A dry mix of Besan(Garbanzo Bean flour),sugar and cardamom.

3.A mix of semolina(rava),sugar and cardamom.

4.A mix of dry or moist coconut delicacies – seen in South Indian style versions.

5.Recent stuffings also include bhang for a slightly different taste and of course a different “experience”..;)

The Gujia is traditionally eaten as it is or with a mix of savory snacks as well!

Preparation time – 1 hour
Makes – 12-15 Gujiyas

Ingredients

For the covering:
200 gms plain flour/all purpose flour(maida)
A pinch of salt
50 ml oil/ghee
Oil for frying

For the filling:

150 gms khoya(mawa)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup semolina(rawa)
4-5 cardamom pods/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp raisins and cashewnuts fried in 1 tbsp oil/ghee

For a “glue” to make the gujias:

3 tbsps all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsps water

Method.

For the covering sift flour and salt into a bowl and blend in oil/ghee with fingertips.Follow the “breadcrumb” procedure as illustrated for Mathri and Shakarpare to make a smooth but “cracky” dough.Keep covered with a slightly moist cloth.

For the filling heat a non-stick pan and saute the khoya/mawa on low heat till it loses its “whitish-creamish” color and takes on a rosy hue and loses its “raw taste.Some people use home made khoya. You do not need to saute it then..its already finely cooked.

Powder the sugar with cardamom seeds(if you are using pods-omit this step if you use ready made powder).Cool the mawa to room temperature.Add the sugar and cardamom.Mix well.Roast the rawa in a non-stick pan till rosy red and cool to room temperature.
Add the rawa and fried nuts to the khoya. Mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes.

The rich Khoya/Mawa filling!

Make the “glue”.Mix the flour and water till the flour turns into a sticky mass to “paste” the gujiyas.

The “glue” for the gujiyas..

Make the gujiyas. Place a small ball of dough on a smooth surface.Flatten it.Roll it out into a thin circle.Apply the “glue” on the edges of the circle.Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of the circle making sure not to touch the sides.Fold the circle over and “paste” the edges together.With the grooved cutting tool or the gujiya cutter(used in the Mathri and Shakarpare recipes) neatly cut out a nice curve on the “glued” flour of the gujiya. Peel off the extra dough.Make other gujiyas the same way!

Making the Gujiyas..

Heat oil in a pan till a small piece of dough/a piece of bread floats up.Lower the Gujiyas into the hot oil and fry on medium-low heat till golden brown.Do not heat too much or the gujiya will darken from the outside but remain uncooked from the inside!Leave to cool till they reach room temperature.

Gujiyas before frying..

A lipsmacking festive dish awaits you!

P.S

1.The mawa should ALWAYS come to room temperature before you add the sugar.Else the sugar will become a syrup and be difficult to fill.

2.The gujiyas can also be dunked in a sugar syrup for a richer taste.Sweetmeat shops first dunk them in sugar syrup and cover them in silver leaf for a “regal” effect!For sugar syrup refer to the syrup for making Shakarpare**.Keep the syrup hot.Dunk ONE gujiya at a time.Take out immediately and cool.Do not keep the gujiyas too long into the syrup else they will break.

Reference – http://thefoodsamaritan.com/shakarparedeep-fried-sugar-coated-pastry/