PAAN GULKAND GUJIYA RECIPE / HOLI RECIPES

Gujiya is the most popular sweet made during the Holi festivities. Gujiya is a sweet dumpling made with refined flour and stuffed with khoa traditionally.You can get very creative with the Gujiyas. These dumplings can also be made with whole wheat flour or semolina or a mix of these with each other or with refined wheat flour. Similarly there is no end to the kind of innovation you can do with its stuffing. I have stuffed these gujiyas with a mixture of Betel Leaves and Gulkand. Get as imaginative as you can and spray your Holi with a riot of Flavours.

Celebrate this HOLI with this delicious sweet which is an integral part of any HOLI RECIPE.

PAAN GULKAND GUJIYA RECIPE:

YIELDS : 12

CUISINE : INDIAN

TYPE : SWEETS

TIME : 30 MINUTES PREPARATION + 30 MINUTES COOKING

INGREDIENTS :

FOR THE DOUGH :

1 Cup = 128gms approximately

1) 2 Cups Refined Flour/Maida

2) 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour /Atta

3) 2 - 3 Tbsp Clarified Butter / Ghee

4) Water to knead into a dough

FOR THE FILLING :

1) 200 Gms Khoa/ Thickened Whole Milk which can be grated like cheese. Available in Indian Sweet Shops.
NOTE :  ( I have used unsweetened Khoa as I have dipped the gujiyas in sugar syrup after frying them. If you do not want to dip the gujiyas in sugar syrup after frying, please use sweetened khoa)

2) 100 Gms Gulkand/ Sweet preserve of Rose Petals. Available in Indian Stores.

3) 5 Paan/Betel Leaves.

4) 2 Tsp nuts crushed. Have nut mix of your choice.

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP :

1 Cup = 250 ml approx.

1) 1 1/2 Cup Sugar

2) 1 Cup Water

Oil for deep frying the Gujiyas

GET COOKING WITH ME IN EASY STEPS :

STEP 1 :

In a mixing bowl mix well the refined flour, whole wheat flour and clarified butter. Using water knead into a stiff dough. Leave the dough to rest for at least half an hour covered.

STEP 2:

For the filling sauté the Khoa over medium heat till it looks slightly fried. Chop the betel leaves roughly and wizz them in a food processor once to get very fine pieces of Betel leaves. Crush the nut mix. In a large mixing bowl after the Khoa cools mix all the ingredients nicely together. The filling is ready.

STEP 3:

Make a medium log with the dough and cut into equal parts. Roll each part between your palms to shape it like a ball. Place the dough shaped balls in a bowl and keep them covered. You do not need to dust the Rolling board with flour as the clarified butter in your dough helps in the rolling process.

• Roll each dough ball with the help of a rolling pin into disc shapes of approximately 4-5 inches in diameter. Place about 1 tbsp - 1 1/2 tbsp of filling on one side of the disc keeping the edges empty. 
• NOTE : Don't over stuff your Gujiyas as they may break open when frying them. 
• Now slowly and with a lot of  care seal the Gujiya by bringing the edges together. Press the edges well so that the mixture is sealed well inside. 
• NOTE : Apply a little water with your finger tip on the edge of the circular discs to seal them properly. Once you bring the edges together, you can also use a fork and press the edges down with it to seal it.
• Alternately like I did  place the discs into the Gujiya moulds (available in Indian Stores). Next place the filling and then close the mould to get a perfectly filled parcel with sealed edges. Place on a plate and finish making all the remaining Gujiyas.

STEP 4:

Heat sufficient oil in a deep wok/kadai. The temperature of the oil should be right before you put in your Gujiyas. You don't want the oil to be cold or too hot. The best test for this is to put in a tiny piece of dough into the oil. If the dough swims up and starts floating upwards, then your oil is of the desired temperature. If it remains at the bottom, oil is cold. If it swims up very fast then oil is too hot.
NOTE : Never fry your gujiyas in very hot oil as they will form multiple bubbles on the top making them visually unappealing. Also frying the Gujiyas in hot oil results in the Gujiyas becoming soggy minutes after they are fried. 

• Gently slide in your Gujiyas with utmost care as you are dealing with hot oil here, 2-3 at a time. Don't overcrowd your Kadai as the Gujiyas may stick to each other. Fry the Gujiyas gently turning them till both the sides turn a lovely golden colour. Drain the Gujiyas into a kitchen paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

STEP 5:

To prepare the sugar syrup, in a heavy bottomed pan add the the sugar and water and boil them. I add a few drops of lemon so that I get a crystal clear syrup. Carefully put a drop of the sugar syrup by cooling the drop a little on your thumb and with your first finger press the sugar syrup drop and then pull your first finger gently up a little. If a single strand is formed between your thumb and first finger, you know your sugar syrup is ready. If it doesn't then keep boiling and do the test again a little later. Once you get the single string consistency of the sugar syrup, remove the pan from the flame. Put in a the Gujiyas into the syrup 39 seconds on each side and thereafter take them out into a plate. If the sugar syrup cools it will solidify. So you can beat your sugar syrup from time to time so that it does not solidify. While the sugar syrup coating on the Gujiyas is still hot, Sprinkle chopped pistachios so that they will stick to your Gujiyas. Once the Gujiyas come to room temperature, keep them in an air tight container away from sunlight in a cool place. Finish the Gujiyas within a couple of days.

PICTORIAL STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE OF PAAN GULKAND GUJIYA ~

STEP 1 :

In a mixing bowl mix well the refined flour, whole wheat flour and clarified butter. Using water knead into a stiff dough. Leave the dough to rest for at least half an hour covered.

STEP 2:

For the filling sauté the Khoa over medium heat till it looks slightly fried. Chop the betel leaves roughly and wizz them in a food processor once to get very fine pieces of Betel leaves. Crush the nut mix. In a large mixing bowl after the Khoa cools mix all the ingredients nicely together. The filling is ready.

STEP 3:

Make a medium log with the dough and cut into equal parts. Roll each part between your palms to shape it like a ball. Place the dough shaped balls in a bowl and keep them covered. You do not need to dust the Rolling board with flour as the clarified butter in your dough helps in the rolling process. Roll each dough ball with the help of a rolling pin into disc shapes of approximately 4-5 inches in diameter. Place about 1 tbsp - 1 1/2 tbsp of filling on one side of the disc keeping the edges empty. Don't overstuff your Gujiyas as they may break open when frying them. Now slowly and with a lot of care seal the Gujiya by bringing the edges together. Press the edges well so that the mixture is sealed well inside. Alternately like I did  place the discs into the Gujiya moulds (available in Indian Stores). Next place the filling and then close the mould to get a perfectly filled parcel with sealed edges. Place on a plate and finish making all the remaining Gujiyas.

STEP 4:

Heat sufficient oil in a deep wok/kadai. The temperature of the oil should be right before you put in your Gujiyas. You don't want the oil to be cold or too hot. The best test for this is to put in a tiny pices of dough into the oil. If the dough swims up and starts floating upwards, then your oil is of the desired temperature. If it remains at the bottom, oil is cold. If it swims up very fast then oil is too hot. Gently slide in your Gujiyas with utmost care as you are dealing with hot oil here, 2-3 at a time. Don't overcrowd your Kadai as the Gujiyas may stick to each other. Fry the Gujiyas gently turning them till both the sides turn a lovely golden colour. Drain the Gujiyas into a kitchen paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

STEP 5:

To prepare the sugar syrup, in a heavy bottomed pan add the the sugar and water and boil them. I add a few drops of lemon so that I get a crystal clear syrup. Carefully put a drop of the sugar syrup by cooling the drop a little on your thumb and with your first finger press the sugar syrup drop and then pull your first finger gently up a little. If a single strand is formed between your thumb and first finger, you know your sugar syrup is ready. If it doesn't then keep boiling and do the test again a little later. Once you get the single string consistency of the sugar syrup, remove the pan from the flame. Put in a the Gujiyas into the syrup 39 seconds on each side and thereafter take them out into a plate. If the sugar syrup cools it will solidify. So you can beat your sugar syrup from time to time so that it does not solidify. While the sugar syrup coating on the Gujiyas is still hot, Sprinkle chopped pistachios so that they will stick to your Gujiyas. Once the Gujiyas come to room temperature, keep them in an air tight container away from sunlight in a cool place. Finish the Gujiyas within a couple of days.

CHECK LIST:

FOR THE DOUGH:

1) Refined Flour, 2) Whole Wheat Flour, 3) Clarified Butter/Ghee, 4) Ghee

FOR THE FILLING:

1)Khoa, 2) Betel Leaves, 3) Gulkand, 4) Nuts Mix

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP:

1)Sugar, 2) Water

OIL

**************************************************************************************************************************