Gujiya /गुजिया /करंजी (An Indian Sweet)

Gujia the delicious sweet for Holi and Deepawali.

This is one sweet which is made through out India with some variations and named differently. In north India  Bihar and Orissa it is a must for Holi festival. In southern and western India it is a must for Deepawali festival. We being north Indian and living in Maharashtra, Gujia has become a must for both the festivals. Need I say more about it's popularity in my house hold!!!

Preparation Time : 30 min. ( making the dough, and getting all ingredients ready for filling)
Cooking Time : 15 - 20 min. for making the filling ,40 -50 min. for frying the Gujia.
 Servings : Makes 20 - 25 Gujia.   

Ingredients required for Gujia cover

• 250 gm.Maida (Refined flour) 
• 50 gm. Semolina (suji)
• 50 - 75 gm. Ghee(Refined butter) 
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt 

Ingredients required for Gujia filling

• 250gm. Khawa (solidified milk) 

Khawa

• 100gm. Sugar(powdered)

Powdered sugar

• 10 - 15 Almonds 

Finely cut Almond

• 50 gm. Semolina ( Suji )

• 10-15 Raisins

Raisins

• 50gm Freshly grated dry coconut

Freshly grated dry coconut

• Cooking oil for frying

Directions to prepare Gujia Filling

• Cut the dry fruits to small pieces. Avoid bigger pieces as they will pierce through the covering of Gujia causing the filling to spill out during frying
• Take a wok and keep it on low heat
• Roast suji in it till suji is golden brown
• Add khawa in the wok and cook for 2-3min.
• Remove the wok from heat. Add sugar and cook for a min. on low heat.and mix thoroughly.

Sugar added to khawa

•  Add grated coconut. Mix and cook for one min.

semolina, coconut, khawa and sugar mixture

•  Add dry fruits and mix thoroughly. 
• Add cardamom powder and mix thoroughly.

• 

  Dry fruits, cardamom added to the khawa mixture

• Keep aside for cooling.

Ready filling mixture for Gujia

Directions to prepare Gujia cover :

• Take Maida, suji and salt in a plate.
• Add melted ghee spoon by spoon with continuous mixing till the mixture resembles bread crumbs. 
• Add water slowly and knead the above mixture to make it a soft but very firm dough.
• Amount of water will vary with the grain size of suji. 

Dough for the cover of Gujia

• If the dough is not firm then the Gujia will not come out crisp.

Directions To Make Gujiya :

• Make small balls from the dough .

Ball ready for rolling

• Roll them to 4 inches diameter round chapati.

Rolled ball of dough

• Fill 2-3 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the chapati and fold it from both ends as such that it looks like semi circle.
• Press it nicely by your palms so that trapped air is removed.
• Seal the edges nicely by applying water.

Rolled dough filled with filling mixture

• Turn the edge to give it a good look.

Gujia ready for frying

• Gujias are ready to fry now.

Gujias before frying

• Heat oil in wok for frying Gujias.
• Once the oil  is ready, fry the Gujia on low flame with continuous swirling and twirling motion of spatula.

Gujias being fried

• When golden brown from all sides take them out and cool before storing.

Have a happy Holi and Deepawali with mouth watering Gujias.

Tips :

• Molds for Gujiya are available in the market, so for those who find it difficult to fold the ends of gujiya they can put it in the mold and press gujiya with the edges sealed will come out.
• Make the filling mixture always on low flame otherwise khawa will get burnt and sugar will get caramelized.

• Fry Gujias a shade lighter than you want because the heat already present in them keeps on cooking them during cooling also (When they have been removed from the wok).
• Gujias with khawa and coconut can be stored in fridge for 4 - 5 months.

Suggested Variation(s):

• Those who prefer less khawa for any reason can increase coconut powder and reduce khawa.
• Khawa and coconut powder can be replaced completely by fresh grated coconut.
• If donot want to fry bake them at 200 degree Celsius for 15 minutes. 
• Air fry to reduce oil consumption 

Tips:

Using chilled water to make dough makes Gujiya crispier.

Allow the dough to rest at least for 2-3 hrs. before making Gujiya. 

Gulab Jamun/गुलाब जामुन

Delicious and Soft Gulab-Jamun

 Gulab jamun may be extremely high in calory but nothing compared to dark brown juicy Gulab Jamun. Be it Days of my children Holi or deepawali Like a king gulab jamun would make it appearance on the table because it is favorite of my children. They simply refuse to eat it if i bring from market. It has to be made by me with fresh Khawa only. So go ahead and pamper and spoil once in a while your kids and family members

Preparation Time:40min. ( approximately)
Cooking Time:60mni.
Servings: Makes 30 medium size Gulab Jamun.

Ingredients required

• 500gm. (3 Tea Cups) Khawa  (milk thickened to solid state)]
• 150gm.(1 Cup )Maida (refined flour) ]
• 500 gm.Sugar 
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds crushed 
• 4 Cups Water 
•  Ghee / Cooking oil for frying

Directions to prepare Gulab Jamun

• Take 500-600 ml.of water in a thick bottom pan. 
• Add 500gm. of sugar to it and heat on high flame with continuous stirring.
• When the mixture starts boiling then reduce the flame to minimum and let it boil till it becomes of syrupy thickness (the quantity of water should reduce to half). 
• Add 1/4 tea spoon of crushed cardamom to the above mixture, switch off the gas, cover and allow to cool.
• Take khawa and maida in a pan. 
• Mix them thoroughly and knead.
• Add 2 tea spoon thick curd and knead to fine smooth dough.
• The dough should be soft and uniform. Continuously mashing and kneading for 15 min. will yield a soft and uniform dough.
• Mix 2 Tea spoons of sugar and 1/2 Tea spoon of cardamom.and keep aside for filling.
• Make small round balls of the dough (roughly 30-40 balls ).
• Press the ball of dough from center to make a depression and fill pinch of sugar and cardamom mixture in it. 
• Press the ends nicely to seal the ball with the mixture inside the ball firmly.
• Roll the ball into a round shape with gentle hands, make sure no air is trapped inside the ball.

Khawa maida dough for Gulab jamun and The balls of the Dough

• Heat Ghee / oil in a thick bottom wok and when ghee / oil is smoking hot lower the flame.
• Put 4-5 balls one by one and fry them on low flame with continuous swirling motion of spatula till they are of dark brown color.

Khawa Balls Being Fried In hot Ghee on Low Flame

Fried Khawa Balls Ready to be Pricked and soaked in Sugar Syrup

• Take them out from wok and prick with toothpick and put into sugar syrup, give a swirling stir to the sugar syrup time to time with a gentle hand.

Fried Balls being pricked with tooth pick before soaking in sugar Syrup

Fried Khawa balls soaking in Sugar Syrup

• The balls will absorb sugar syrup and become larger in size and soft with in 30 min.
   

  

  Soft Yummy Mouth watering Gulab Jamun

• Take them out on a plate and sprinkle some coconut powder.Gulab jamun are ready to eat.

 Serve Gulab Jamun hot or cold as per liking. :)
Tips:

• The Khawa should be fresh and firm.

• Curd should be thick with out any watery liquid in it. 

• Press the balls of Khawa with soft hands and make sure air is not trapped in it.

• Sugar syrup should be hot when you add fried khawa balls in it.

Suggested Variation: 

• You can make them round or can give an oblong shape as per your liking.

• In the filling cardamom can be replaced by nutmeg powder.
• Kesar (Saffron) can be added to the sugar syrup once it is removed from gas.