Gujia is a fried pastry filled with an aromatic nuts mixture. In India, Gujia is traditionally made for the holidays of Diwali and Holi and is a must have treat. Gujia can be stored in airtight container up to a month.

Recipe makes 20 to 24 gujia.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup all purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
• 1 tablespoon sooji (semolina flour)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/3 cup lukewarm water or as needed

Filling:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• 1 cup milk powder
• 1/4 cup coconut powder
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon melon seeds (optional)

Garnish:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 Water
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds and pistachios

Also needed:

• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
• 2 tablespoon water
• Oil to fry

Method

Crust:

1. Mix flour, sooji, oil and water together to make soft dough (add more water as needed).
2. Knead the dough for about two minutes until the dough becomes smooth and pliable.
3. Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.

Filling:

1. Mix the cream and milk powder in a frying pan on medium heat.
2. Cook until mixture starts leaving the sides of the frying pan and becomes close to soft runny dough. Stir continuously so the mixture does not burn on the bottom of the pan.
3. Turn off the heat and add coconut, almonds, melon seeds, sugar, and cardamom powder. Mix together well.
4. After cooling, the mixture will become just moist. Keep aside.

Making the Gujias:

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of flour to make a paste. Set aside.
2. Knead the dough again for a minute.
3. Divide the dough into about 20 equal parts and roll into balls with the palms of your hands.
4. With a rolling pin (belan) roll each ball into about 4-inch diameter circles (like a roti or chappati).
5. Dip your finger in the flour paste and spread it around the rim of the rolled dough, but just on the half the circle.
6. Take the rolled dough in your palm and put about 11/2 tablespoons of the filling mixture in the center and fold it into a semi-circle. Now press the edges together with your fingers. Make sure the edges are completely sealed otherwise they will open while frying and oil will get in and filling will come out.
7. Continue filling the rest of the gujia in the same manner.
8. Heat about 1-1/2 inches of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should sizzle right away but come to the surface slowly.
9. Place the gujia in the frying pan few at a time.
10. After gujhias are floating on top of the oil, turn them slowly. Fry the gujias until they turn light golden-brown color on all sides. Don’t fry on high heat; the gujia crust will be too soft and not crispy.
11. When they are done cooking, lift them out of the oil with a slotted spoon.

Garnishing:

1. Make sugar syrup by boiling water and sugar together on medium heat until syrup is about one thread or 230 degrees (Fahrenheit) on a candy thermometer.
2. Dip the gujias into the syrup making sure they are coated with syrup all around.
3. Place the gujias on a wire rack to allow the extra syrup drain.
4. Garnish the gujias with sliced almonds and pistachios while the gujhias are still moist with syrup.
5. Gujias will be dry in an hour.