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Gujiya

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This is a detailed recipe to make Gujiya , also known as Karanji or Ghughra in some parts of India. It is a popular Dessert or Mithai, often made in Indian Homes for Holi and Diwali. It is filled with Mawa (milk solids) and Nuts and then Deep fried for crispy texture outside.

Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

Gujiya

Last year I had made Baked Gujiyas which were a hit! This year I have made traditional ones that are deep fried. It has been a while that I made traditional Gujiyas so this year I decided to make these as my Mum and Daadi would make. Crispy from outside and Sweet soft melt in the mouth from inside. These came out so perfect.


I have fond memories of Gujiyas. Before Holi, my mum, aunt (chachi) and my dadi (grand mom) would sit together and make atleast 100 of Gujiyas together for a family of 13 people. All of the kids would sit around and help and eat ! Lot of stories and fun filled childhood memories.

Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

Some Gujiya Facts

  1. It is a popular festival dessert made to celebrate Holi and Diwali, 2 important Hindu Festivals from India.
  2. Traditional Gujiya is shaped in Crescent or Half Moon shaped.
  3. These are filled inside with a mixture of Mawa or Khoya (Milk solids) and Nuts.
  4. These are Deep fried on medium to low heat till golden and crisp.
  5. The recipe of filling can vary from region to region. My recipe has a fail proof filling that does not stick to one side while frying.
  6. 2 variations of Gujia are – Sookhi Gujiya and Chashni wali Gujiya. This is a recipe for Uttar Pradesh Home Style Gujiya.
Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

This is how I make it! These are also called karanji and  ghughra. Very close cousin to Mexican Empanadas!

MORE HOLI RECIPES from Blog are – Kanji, Dahi Pakodi, Custard, Aloo Samosa, Aloo Kachori and more.

It requires 3 steps

1. Mawa, or Khoya – recipe given below.

2. Gujiya crust – recipe given below.

3. Gujiya filling.

Mawa and Filling recipe
Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

Refer to this picture for steps below!

Mawa Recipe

You may use fresh market bough mawa too.

Milk powder – 1/2 cup

Milk – 1 tbsp

Ghee – 1 tsp

Method – combine everything to make a dough! Your home made mawa is ready !

Filling Recipe

Mawa – 1/2 cup,  roast it dry over low flame till slightly pink. Don’t burn it.

Semolina/Sooji – 1 tbsp, roasted slightly pink.

Coconut dry / nariyal – 1/4 cup, unsweetened.

Pistachio – 1 tbsp, slightly roasted

Almonds – 2 tbsp, slightly roasted

Magaj / melon seeds – 1 tbsp

Sugar powdered – 1/2 cup

Elaichi/ Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

Saffron – a pinch

Method

Combine everything together. Note that add sugar, cardamom and saffron, after the roasted ingredients are cooled.

Gujiya Crust
Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

 

Refer to this picture for the steps below !

Ingredients

Refined flour – 2 cups

Oil – 3 tbsp. You may use ghee instead.

Luke warm water – 3/4 cup approximately.

Method

  1. Add oil to the flour and mix well. The oil should be enough so that when you pinch the dough together in your palm, it stays together as Mutthi. Refer to the first picture in the pictogram. Add water slowly and make a tight dough but not tough dough. Knead for few minutes.

  2. Cover with damp towel or cloth. Leave it for 1/2 hour.

  3. Make 24 to 25 small balls. Keep them covered with damp cloth to avoid drying.

Gujiya assembling and Frying 
Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

Required 

Gujiya dough and filling.

1 tbsp of refined flour dissolved in little water to make thick paste to seal the ends.

Rolling pin

Rolling board

Fork.

Wok for deep frying

Slotted spoon

A tray with damp cloth and damp kitchen towels.

Another tray with dry paper towels to keep fried gujiyas

Method 

  1. Take a dough ball from under the damp cloth. Cover the rest of the dough balls back under the damp towel.

  2. Roll it out into circles, 3 to 3&1/2 inches in diameter.

  3. Place 2 tsp of the filling on one side of the circle. Make sure that your edges are clear and there is no particle of filling there.

  4. Dip your one finger in thick flour paste. Apply the paste on half of the edge of the circle. Refer to the first picture in the pictogram above.

  5. Slowly, pick the other side of the rolled out dough and bring it together to close like a crescent or half moon. Refer to the picture on the top right.

  6. Seal it tight with fingers. Now take a fork and make deep impressions on the edges of the Gujiya. Refer to the picture above. Make sure you don’t pierce through it. I used pizza cutter to give it an even edge. You may use moulds too.

Note – I use the thick flour paste as a glue too. If there is any accidental tear while shaping and carving, I apply a bit of it on the top to seal the tear.

  1. Now place these gujiyas on the damp (not wet) cloth on a tray. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel. We have to give Gujiyas, a nap, to give them crisp texture and required bubbles on the surface.

  2. Finish all the dough balls like that and make gujiyas out of it. Let all the gujiyas nap.

  3. When you are finished with the last one, heat the oil in the wok over medium flame. Drop a small piece of dough and if it comes up gently, then the oil is ready.

  4. Now add 5-7 gujiyas together in the wok over medium flame. Start with the ones, whih were rolled out first.  This will give the last ones enough time to nap. We call it “Gujiya ko Sula do”. (Put Gujiya to sleep). 

Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

 11. Fry the gujiyas over lower heat. Fry from both the sides. Flip them couple of times for even cooking. It takes approximately 7-8 minutes per Ghaan ( the group of gujiyas) to cook thoroughly. Once they are pinkish red or their thin edges are golden, take them out.

  1. Cool them to the room temperature before storing them in an air right container. They stay well outside for couple of days in a closed container.

Enjoy this Holi with these home made Gujiyas and earn the love and praise of family and friends!

Few Ingredients that you can buy to make this Recipe from Amazon.

All purpose Flour

Oil

Heavy Bottom pan

Slotted Spatula

Gujiya Moulds

Can’t make it Now? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Gujiya is also known as Karanji and is a popular Festival Dessert from India. It is made for Holi and Diwali. It is like empanada or hand pies. The filling has milk solids and nuts. #gujiya #gujia #karanji #handpies #empanadas #holidessert #diwalidessert #indiandessert #holirecipes

Gujiya

In my kitchen, you will always STAY HAPPY & EAT HAPPY!

Sonal

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hello Sonal, your detailed description of gujiyas took me back to ma’s kitchen in Delhi when she first taught me how to make these. Every Holi had gujiya! This year I’m going to teach my daughters to make gujiyas and certainly use your steps to remember the nuances(had a stroke 2 years ago and memory recall is challenged). Thank you. Happy Holi to you and your family dear…,

    Reply

  2. Hello Sonal,

    Wish you a very Happy Holi. The Gujjiya looks amazing. I hail from Bihar and I totally relate to this post. I am also touched by the love and affection you shower on me. I feel blessed. Holi is a time to share mutual love. God bless X

    Reply

    • Dear Pallavi,
      Sometimes you don’t have to meet somebody to connect. I genuinely admire your work and art and the way you write, it connects me to my roots and motherland…
      loads of love and thanks so much for popping in…
      Love

      Reply

  6. These Gujiyas looks utterly delicious! You make it look so easy, and the filling with all the nuts sounds so good! Wow! 🙂

    Reply

  12. Happy Holi! How long do you let the Gujiya nap for? The bubbled crust is stunning and unique, I must have right away! Interesting ingredients with the milk powder and milk . . . I imagine that you could also stuff with savory ingredients if you really want, even if not traditional. I can’t imagine making 100 of these unless I had a deep fryer, so nice job you and dadi!

    Reply

    • Thanks Sue! Happy Holi to you too! It’s an onset of new calendar year in traditional way!
      I got almost 26 gujiyas with the ingredients and it took me good 35 to 45 minutes till I was done with my last one. After I was done with my lasts one, then I heated the oil and it took good 5-7 minutes for the oil to heat. I started frying with my 1st one that I had rolled and tucked. So by the time I reached my last one, it had also napped for good 1/2 an hr atleast. So I would say, 30 minutes is a good time, give and take.
      You can totally use savory and meat fillings in there. People use boiled and crushed lentils / beans mix, may be wonton style vegetables or pork….anything!

      Reply

      • yum! I recently ordered of all things, pastrami and cheese potstickers at a Jewish deli here in Beverly Hills where I work (totally surreal work environment!) and it just goes to show, if you can think of it, you can fill your hand pie with it!!!

        Reply

  13. I love Holi! I’ve never been to India, and I really want to visit during Holi season! The idea of all those colours and festivities is so exciting!
    These Gujiya look absolutely delicious too. I have always wanted to try this pastry and I will be giving this a go soon! Your photos are just stunning as always!

    Reply

  14. I love how this dish brings back childhood memories, and it sounds delicious too. Your presentation is absolutely beautiful too. Thank you so much for sharing, and happy FF! 😀

    Reply

  15. These look great, and I love your step by step instructions and photos. Gives us half a chance of getting it right! I would love to see a true holi festival some day, and enjoy all the delicious foods such as these that go with it. In the meantime I can try these. Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday!

    Reply

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